Crossfire
by Fluro-Highlighter
Summary: The legend of Robin Hood and his gang starting from Episode 1 seen through the eyes of a young Locksley woman and how his arrival home changes all aspects of her life as well as others around her. May lead to eventual OC/Will...
1. Chapter 1

With the sun beating down on her and the dust rising from each step she took, a young woman strolled along one of the many paths of Locksley while humming softly to herself. She was in no rush and slowly made her way through the small village amongst the houses greeting the few people who passed her.

"Morning, Edyn. Enjoying the sun?" the town blacksmith greeted her.

"Very much so," she replied smiling. Truth be told, with her fair skin that was prone to burn she usually avoided the harsh sun, but today she was enjoying it, basking in its heat to warm her face and arms. Winter was fast approaching and she would regret not enjoying the good weather while she had the chance.

She and her older brother Henry had moved to Locksley several years passed from the outskirts of York after their mother's death. Neither had known their father as he had left them while they both were very young. They had agreed to acknowledge him as dead, too ashamed to admit to others of their abandonment, so when their mother passed away the two of them were left as orphans at the ages of thirteen and sixteen. A distant relative had agreed to swap homes for their larger house in Yorkshire in exchange for a smaller home in Nottinghamshire, away from all the memories of their non-too thrilling childhood. Had they know what sort of Sheriff was to gain power after two years of them residing in Locksley, they would have reconsidered.

But here they were. They quickly adapted to the different lifestyle and opened a bakery, their own little business they were both proud of. Henry had always had a knack for baking, while Edyn preferred interacting with people and enjoyed selling their goods. The people of Locksley were hesitant of them at first due to their youthfulness, but soon saw passed it and were happy to buy from them, when they could afford it.

Smiling at the memory Edyn continued on. She carried with her a large basket holding several loaves of bread and a small amount of cheese she had stolen from her own kitchen without her brother's knowledge, payment for a favour she had asked of another villager. When she had heard that the sons of the village carpenter and another Locksley boy, Benedict, were planning on stealing from the Sheriff's storeroom she had struck up a bargain with the oldest son to guarantee that her brother and herself would receive extra sacks of flour so they could continue to bake bread to keep their taxes paid. When she had awoken that morning she had found three sacks hidden behind their house.

As she approached his house she noticed his father hard at work out the front. "Morning, Mr Scarlett."

"Oh, good morning," he said. "Can I help you with something?"

"Umm, I was wondering if Will was home." She wasn't sure how much his father knew about the theft and decided it was best not to mention it.

Dan Scarlett gave her a sidelong glance before he answered. "Yes, he and Luke are inside. Go ahead."

She smiled her thanks and approached the door. Only a few moments after she knocked the door was pulled open and Luke, the younger of the two sons, was standing before her. He stared at her for a moment and before she had a chance to speak he called out behind him, "Someone here to see you, Will."

A confused Will slowly came into view. "Hullo."

"Hello. Umm, I have some loaves of bread here. For the flour," she said awkwardly. His silent disposition and stiff posture always made her nervous for some reason.

"Oh, thank you. Come in." He led her to the small kitchen area and took the bread from her, setting it aside uncovered, along with the cheese.

Edyn knew better than to come across as bossy but she couldn't help herself but take pity on him. "You'll want to cover them with a cloth. It will keep it fresh."

"Oh," was the only reply she received before he began rummaging around in search of a cloth. She smiled sympathetically towards him; his mother's absence was slowly becoming more obvious.

"How long has it been?" she asked.

He slowly looked up at her; strangely he knew exactly what she meant. "Nearly two years to the day." He paused for a moment. "It doesn't feel that long ago, yet in some ways it feels like I've lived a lifetime without her, strange as it sounds."

Edyn shook her head. "It doesn't sound strange at all, not to me anyway."

He then straightened up and looked at her properly. He was one of the few people she knew that made eye contact, searching deep into her own dark eyes as he were deliberating what kind of person she was; it seemed odd for such a shy person.

"Well, I should probably head home before I get growled at," Edyn said feeling slightly awkward at the lack of conversation.

"Yeah," Will agreed, "I should probably go help outside. Grab those, Luke," he indicated at his brother to the pile of wood near the doorway.

Edyn followed Luke to the door with Will trailing behind. The moment the door was pushed open Luke stopped and hurriedly stepped back while Edyn felt Will pull her roughly behind him. In the split second she had stood in the doorway she had noticed two strange men she had never seen before, both dressed in traveller's cloaks and hoods.

"It's alright, boys," Dan Scarlett called to his sons.

As always, curiosity got the better of Luke and he didn't even hesitate after he heard his father's voice to step back outside to meet the two new arrivals. Will however was a bit more reluctant remaining in front of Edyn as though these men were a threat. She smiled at his manner.

Outside, Luke was already showing off his skills with a bow and Edyn allowed herself to take in their appearances while their attention was diverted. The closest, whom she guessed from his stance took charge, was leaning casually against his bow whilst he spoke with Dan; the bow itself was unlike any Edyn had ever seen before. She forced herself to divert her eyes away from his weapon to look at him more closely. His clothes were that of a traveller, both worn and dirty indicating the great distance they must have travelled. He was of average height and only a slight build. His companion was very similar with clothes, weapons and height, though his build was slightly more rounded, and he carried with him a shield instead of a bow. They both had the same exhausted yet relieved expressions on their faces and Edyn felt that they were of no threat.

She was about to leave for her home when she noticed dust rising in the distance causing her to hesitate, not a moment later she could see a group of the Sheriff's men heading their way and gathering in the centre of the small town just outside of where they stood. Edyn wanted desperately to run back to her house and be at her brother's side, but instinct told her that would not help the situation. Sir Guy of Gisborne, Lord of Locksley, led the men and everyone gathered outside knew this was not a good sign. Instantly his men leapt from their horses and charged into all the houses dragging out every Locksley resident to stand before Gisborne. Edyn grimaced when she saw her brother roughly shoved outside by a particularly burly soldier; another followed carrying their remaining sacks of flour.

"No!" she whispered. Will caught her arm and pulled her back. She hadn't even realised she was instinctively moving towards were Henry had been thrown roughly to the ground.

"Don't!" Will warned her. She noticed the smaller of the strange men looked over his shoulder at her before returning his attention to the spectacle of Benedict now being dragged from his home. Sir Guy was sat astride his dark horse and smugly explained to the town of the flour theft and how the guilty were to be punished indicating towards both her brother and Benedict.

"Stop!" Edyn cried stepping forward.

"Edyn, don't be a fool!" Will hissed at her.

She watched as Sir Guy turned his horse so he could face her. His horse was tall and Sir Guy himself was big and broad-shouldered making his appearance all the more intimidating; Edyn feel tiny and insignificant in comparison. She suddenly felt all her confidence leave her and she stuttered nervously through her words. "H-how can you punish a baker for having flour in his possession? You have no proof to say that it was stolen. We regularly buy our flour from the mill in Clun." Her voice was shaky and higher than normal; all hope of sounding convincing was gone.

"Interesting," Sir Guy sneered. "Because I heard that the mill was recently closed down; which makes me think that this flour is indeed stolen."

Edyn's heart sank right down to the pit of her stomach. She had gone and made matters much worse by proving it was stolen plus also giving herself in.

"No, you don't understand, Sir Guy," she heard her brother plead. "I bought this flour weeks ago. The mill owner told me in confidence that it was possibly closing down so I bought as much as I could afford at the time. That flour is all I have left to bake with."

"Well then, we'll leave it for the Sheriff to decide whether you're guilty or not," Gisborne replied.

"Wait!" A different voice spoke. The smaller of the travellers stepped forward, addressed Sir Guy and bowed before him.

"My name is Robin, Earl of Huntington, and Lord of this Manor. Your services here are no longer required," he spoke.

There was an outburst of gasps and his fellow traveller dropped to his knees bowing deeply. The rest of the townsfolk still stunned copied his actions. As Edyn lowered her upper body she did not take her eyes from this strange man, Robin.

Guy shot his men a dark stare. "Bring the prisoners!" he growled.

"I believe the baker proved his innocence," Robin called out calmly.

Gisborne deliberated for a moment. "Fine, he stays. But the boy did not. He will come with me to Nottingham. If you have a problem with that you can take it up with the Sheriff." The town watched silently as Benedict was forced to follow Guy and his men away from his home.

Edyn let out the breath she was holding in relief and turned to Will. "I won't do that again. I'll get some more bread to you but that's it. I want no more part in this stealing." He remained silent refusing to make eye contact. She left for her home when something stopped her as she passed Robin. She turned to him and placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you, so very much." A little stunned by the sudden contact he gently placed a hand on hers and smiled.

Back at her home her brother turned on her. "How could you be so stupid? Stealing! I never thought I'd see the day when you of all people would steal. I'm so disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know what else to do," she replied. "We have no money left and I thought it would be a way of ensuring we'd have something when winter comes. If we remain this way we'll either starve or be thrown out of our home due to unpaid taxes. I didn't think we had any other choice."

Henry scoffed. "You really are the one to make everything seem so much more dramatic then it really is."

"Oh, really? Well then what is your plan? Because as far as I can see I'm the only one who's trying to ensure we have enough supplies to keep going."

"You don't think I'm not worrying about that? All I'm saying is that there must be another way rather than stealing," Henry replied. "We've just got to think, that's all."

Edyn stared nervously at the floor. She had thought of a plan long ago if things were to get this tight. She had worked out that there was enough money from sales to support one of them, but with two, it would near to impossible to pay the ever rising taxes as well as afford food for them to eat. Maybe it was time for her to fend for herself? She was sure she could do most tasks that could be thrown her way; she had made it this far with only a sibling to help with tough situations. Who's to say she couldn't make it on her own?

"Henry, I've been thinking," she started slightly anxious.

"Always a worry," he joked, though his voice was still gruff.

She ignored him and continued. "Why don't I go and look for work in Nottingham? With the money from the bread you'll be able to keep the Sheriff off your back and not have to worry about lack of money for taxes."

He simply stared at her for a moment. "You're not serious, are you? It's a perfect solution, yes. But think about how unrealistic it is."

"Why because I'm female?" she shot back at him.

"Don't get defensive. I'm just pointing out the facts. There are so many people camped outside the gates of Nottingham because they can't afford a home. What makes you so high and mighty that you'll be able to walk straight in and get a job and somewhere to stay? Life's not that simple!"

"It can be if you know where to look."

"Fine, tell me where you'd go?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest, always a sign of his frustration.

Edyn's eyes dropped to the floor too ashamed to admit her plan. "I don't want to say."

Henry shook his head and opened his mouth to retort with another smart comment when he stopped himself. "You – you don't mean you're going to try and become a tavern girl, do you?"

She shrugged. "As long as you're female and still relatively young, you're almost guaranteed work. There's always money in alcohol and gambling. And I can work for my bed so I'll have a place to stay."

"You do realise what else you work for?" Henry asked raising his eyebrows. Edyn refused to answer. "I'm not going to let you do this. No sister of mine is going to become a whore!"

She shuddered at the word. "I won't! The girls that agree to that do it for extra coins. I will not lower myself to that."

"It doesn't matter if you do it or not, if you're one of those girls it will be expected. Your reputation will be ruined."

Edyn scoffed. "What reputation? Besides, I don't care what everyone thinks. Let them say what they want."

Henry shook his head. "You say that now, but trust me, you will regret it. And what if something happens to you? When you're doing that sort of work, especially surrounded by drunks, it's almost inevitable that you'll end up in some sort of trouble."

Edyn continued to glare at her brother. He had a point. Nothing she could say would prove him wrong. When she didn't reply Henry simply sighed. "Fine, go and do what you have to do. But be it on your head if something happens to you. You brought it upon yourself."

Edyn was amazed. She didn't think he'd ever agree, but maybe some of her points had made him realise she was right. A part of her was a little disappointed that he had agreed; this was not something she wanted to do.

Henry made his way back to the kitchen leaving Edyn to gather her few belongings. As she packed she delicately placed her fingers on the pendant around her neck. A habit she had picked whenever she was nervous.

When Henry re-entered the room he look at her stunned. "I didn't think you would be leaving today."

"Why put it off. It only gives you time to reconsider and back out."

"This is ridiculous. At least sleep on it," he argued.

"No, I've made up my mind. If I leave now I'll make it there before it starts to get dark," she said slinging her old cloak around her shoulders. "Besides, I'm not the one for long awkward goodbyes."

The corners of Henry's mouth twitched. "This is hardly goodbye. We're not going to avoid each other for the rest of our lives."

"Well, whatever it is, short and sweet is the way to go."

"I'm going to miss you," he mumbled.

Edyn smiled. "I'll miss you too. But I'll try and visit whenever I can."

Lifting her bag to rest on one shoulder she headed outside. They hugged briefly and before she knew it she was on her way to Nottingham. The walk from Locksley to Nottingham was a few miles giving Edyn time to really think about what she was getting herself into. She had always been one to over analyse situations to the point where she became so overcome by nerves that she was now indecisive. Maybe she should go back to the safety of her home and brother? She stopped walking and tried to slow her breathing. She was now more than halfway there. _What point was there turning back now, I may as well swallow my pride, face up to my fears and continue on_, she told herself.

After only a few moments of continuing her journey she heard hoof beats behind her. She moved to the side of the path to allow them room. Once they were nearly upon her she glanced over her shoulder to discover that it was Robin Hood and his companion cantering past her. She noticed Robin himself briefly turned his head in her direction before he focused his attention on where he was headed. She guessed he was on his way to try and free Benedict; she hoped he would be successful.

When Edyn finally made it to the intimidating town of Nottingham she stopped and stared up at the towering walls. She had never felt so small and insignificant. At leased in Locksley she felt she was someone, here she was simply another peasant under the Sheriff's power.

Walking along the small bridge leading to the town's gate she looked down at the homeless people all living together in what look liked a dilapidated shantytown. The only protection from the weather was the old rags and odd wooden materials they had collected and pinned up which they now hid under, huddled together in an attempt to keep warm. Every one of them looked as if they were ill or dying. They all ranged from young children to the elderly, small families as well as large with many small children. They all pathetically held out their hands to each person that passed them. Edyn so desperately wanted to help them, but she knew if she gave them the small amount of money she had it wouldn't be long before she was living with them.

She continued up the road desperately looking for her destination; it was already becoming cold as the afternoon wind was beginning to pick up. She found herself stopping out the front of the one tavern in Nottingham. The Trip to Jerusalem Inn already sounded as if it were full. She forced herself to take a deep breath. _Here I go._

Opening the door slowly she was greeted by the yelling and singing of many drunken men enjoying themselves. She had been right; it was very full and she had to squeeze past many people. One man even asked her to join him and his friends. "We don't get many young ladies like that 'ere, do we boys?" His companions cheered loudly with him.

"What you talkin' about?" Edyn heard a woman call. Looking over she saw a large busted woman slinking over to the men with a jug full of ale in one hand while resting her other on the back of one man's chair so she could lean in close. "Are me and my girls not good enough for you lot?" She was clearly teasing and she stood in way to emphasise her curves.

The gentlemen laughed and one responded, "Of course you are, Gloria! All's I meant was a girl so… intact." Again the men roared with laughter and raised their goblets sloshing their drinks.

Edyn simply kept her eyes straight ahead avoiding eye contact with anyone, ignoring any other comments that may follow. Finally she spotted a man carrying a tray full of empty tankards, clearly the owner of this establishment.

"Excuse me. Excuse me!" she called out. But he kept on walking away from her. "Excuse me," she tried again. "Oi!"

Slowly he turned to face her. He was a small dumpy man with an oily face and hair to match it. "You'll just have to wait for a drink like the rest of 'em, love!"

"Oh. No, I don't require a drink."

"Oh? And what do ya _require_?" he asked.

She ignored the sarcasm. "I'd like to discuss something with you."

"Well I'm busy. Either buy a drink or come back later, I don't accommodate those who don't buy," he said turning away from her.

Edyn suddenly felt confidence swell inside her; she hated being brushed off, so she persisted. "Well then maybe I can help you, if you help me," she said catching up to him.

"What are you on about? I don't have time for time wasters!"

"Well, it looks to me that you need help."

"Wow! Well spotted!" The sarcasm was back.

She stood her ground. "My name is Edyn and I am in need of work, and a place to stay. Could we maybe cut ourselves a deal?"

"I'm Joe." He then deliberated for a moment. "Okay. Here are my terms, you either take them or leave, and I won't compromise! You work here and I'll let you sleep in the back room, there's no bed so you'll be on the floor, I won't pay you and your food will be the left overs from each meal. Got it?" Edyn was beyond shocked. How was that a fair deal? She was about to open her mouth when he began to speak again. "It's a roof over you're head and food in your stomach. There are other ways to make a little money here. If you want to be picky I say good luck to ya! You'll be on the streets in no time."

Her mind flashed to the images of the homeless outside the town gates. After another moment of thought she sighed and gave in. "Fine." He roughly shook her hand. "Now lose that bag and get started!"

"Oh, umm, okay. What do I do?"

He stared at her. "You know for an intelligent looking girl you've got nothing under that red hair of yours. Figure it out!" he barked.

She jumped before dumping her bag out the back. She then began collecting all the empty tankards and serving out more drinks hoping she was doing the right thing. It wasn't long before she heard Joe's voice in her ear. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention earlier, you make sure you keep the boys happy. You get me?"

Edyn was once more utterly shocked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Lots of smiles and all that. If they ask you to dance, you dance. If they give a slap on the rear to say thanks you don't make an issue of it, okay? My girls don't make a fuss, so I don't expect anything different from you."

"I am not some whore!"

"Exactly. You're not cheap. To them you are like a prize, and hopefully they will come in here everyday hoping to win. And that is more money for me. If you have a problem with that you can hit the streets with the rats!"

Edyn couldn't believe it. She had no choice but grit her teeth and agree. The night was long and seemed to drag on forever. How could she possibly do this everyday? While she had been working she had noticed three other girls doing the same tasks. One girl was rather plump with light brown hair and extremely rosy cheeks, though she seemed very popular with the men; the next girl was extremely bony with long dirty blonde hair and grey eyes, if it wasn't for the smile on her face Edyn would have thought her extremely gloomy and ill. The last girl was the woman she had noticed when she had first arrived. With long, dark hair and the bluest eyes she was absolutely stunning. Obviously she took charge of the other girls and was the favourite with her good looks and perfect body, as well as the ability to keep the men guessing, letting them get extremely close to her before suddenly moving away and giggling while they all tried to coax her back. Throughout the night she had continued to give Edyn dark stares each time their eyes met.

"Hey look, boys!" the rounded girl called at the start of the night. "We got a new 'un." There was a chorus of woops and Edyn kept her eyes down, humiliated at the attention.

"Keep your head up and act confident. If you don't you won't last here," she heard a voice in her ear. The small blonde girl had snuck up next to her. "They're harmless, well, most of them. They just want a little fun." Edyn nodded. "You've never done this before, have you?"

"No. I think my life has been very sheltered right up until these last few moments," Edyn responded.

"You'll soon get the hang of it. I'm Catherine, by the way. And that's Ebony," she pointed to the larger girl, "and Gloria is just over there." She indicated towards the surly girl.

"Edyn," she replied shaking the hand that was offered to her. "I must confess, I'm a little nervous about all this."

"Don't be. You just can't let your pride get in the way. Here, I'll show you." Picking up the jug she had set down she moved towards a group of older men all gathered around one table. "How's it going boys? Anyone need a top up?"

"Hello, Miss Catherine. About time you came over," a balding man said while leaning closer to her.

"I'd never ignore you, Geoffrey," she said while his fingers slowly reached out to touch her stomach and trace along the embroidery on her dress.

"I've missed you." She lifted her arms allowing him better access to her body. Without any hesitation his hands happily roamed down her sides and rested in the dip of her waist before he pulled her down so she sat on his lap. "This is better."

"I'm glad you think so," she giggled in response. She looked over her shoulder and winked at Edyn, who hoped Catherine didn't notice her shudder. This was going to be a very long night indeed.

She was so relieved when the night was finally coming to an end and the final drunk was pushed out the door. "Now, Joe!" he slurred. "Don't get any ideas with my future wife in there, will ya?"

"Of course not, Max." Joe looked over at Edyn and winked. "Goodnight mate!"

"Yeah, night night!" Max muttered as he disappeared down the dark street.

"Sounds like you've got an admirer," Joe teased. Edyn kept herself silent as he made his way over. He stood before her and studied her more closely. "Well, you're half starved and as plain as anything, but you got them happy. Good work!"

Edyn shuddered for what felt like the hundredth time that night. She didn't want to be praised for such a horrid job. She especially didn't want to know she was good at it.

"Right, I'll leave you girls to clean up. Good job as always," Joe called to his girls as he headed for the back door. "Gloria," he called when he reached the door. "When you're done why don't you head upstairs?"

"Of course, Joe," she replied. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Edyn looked around shocked. Both Ebony and Catherine seemed to ignore the interaction completely as if it were a common occurrence. She was now beginning to understand how complex and different life really was once outside of her beloved Locksley.

**A:N/ **_Okay so this is my attempt of writing a different character into my new favourite show. I hope you're enjoying it. I wasn't intending on writing a fanfic but I kind of got typing and before I knew it ten pages was written in a surprisingly short period of time that stretched out to sixteen pages after editing. It's been driving me absolutely crazy, I've rewritten it so many times, had to cut it in half because it was getting so long, all in all a lot of work and time spent on something I wasn't planning on writing in the first place. I'll admit I'm still not sure where I'm going with this but I do have a few ideas for upcoming chapters. Some of the fine details aren't the same as what they are in the show but it was what worked with my character so yeah… =P_

_She's only recently turned eighteen, and she's had a pretty sheltered life, which is why she doesn't always know how to approach certain situations. I hope she doesn't seem too Mary Sue-ish. I'm trying __**SO**__ hard to make her seem believable. _

_And I still don't know what I'm going to do with the whole romance aspect. Obviously she kinda has feelings for a particular character but I don't know if I want anything to happen or not. I'm kind of tossing up a whole bunch of ideas of where this could go… Will/Djaq always seemed odd to me, don't get me wrong, I loved the build up and all the little moments and looks between them but when they actually became a couple it lost its spark. They just don't match. And I've always liked the idea of Will/OC, but the fics that I have read the character is always a Mary Sue, half the gang are already in love with her, she usually gets with Will within the first few chapters, she's always badass and an awesome fighter, plus all the other characters seem really OOC. In saying that, I haven't read them all so if you have written one please don't get offended, I may not have read yours and it could be an exception. Oh God, I hope I didn't butcher the original characters! I love them all so much!_

_So please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think by reviewing, let me know if I've written a horrible fic, if she's a Mary Sue or if I've described the characters all wrong. Constructive criticism is always welcome; it will help me improve. =) _


	2. Chapter 2

The night was long and uncomfortable. Edyn had been sure her exhaustion would overcome her discomfort, but being in such a bizarre place surrounded by strangers, she could not seem to shut her mind off. The floor was cold and hard, and Catherine shared her discomfort on the floor as there was only one bed in which Ebony lay on to be later joined by Gloria who snuck in a while after the other two girls had fallen asleep.

Edyn later found out the Joe regularly called upon Gloria to join him. She would do her job, wait for him to fall asleep and then sneak back to the comfort of her room she shared with her friends.

"It's just something you sometimes have to do," Catherine explained to her the next morning.

Edyn stared at her stunned. "What, you mean that you've also…?"

"Of course," Catherine replied indifferently. "We all have. Joe likes a variety but he's always preferred Gloria. He says it's his right as he is providing us with shelter. We should be grateful." She paused before she continued; her voice slightly softer, "He will wait a while for you to get settled, but be aware that he will call upon you."

Edyn stared at her wide-eyed and unable to speak. She was so terrified over what she had gotten herself into.

Working in the day was much better than the night, fewer drunks and the general atmosphere was better. It seemed each day the girls would take turns to run errands for Joe who allowed them to spend as long as they wanted so they could visit friends and family, so long as they were back with the supplies that Joe needed by mid-afternoon before the regulars would slowly begin to arrive. On the second morning Edyn had been there it was Gloria's turn, when she returned during lunch she was in a much friendlier mood. She even offered Edyn help with certain tasks, a change from the day beforehand when she had simply ignored Edyn as if she were some sort of threat.

While cleaning up after lunch Edyn noticed Gloria and Ebony disappear out the back and Catherine stood straightening her dress and fixing her hair. Edyn stood awkwardly unsure what was happening, when Joe approached her. "Come on. Half day today."

"Huh?"

"There's a hanging up at the castle and I ain't missing that. I don't think anyone is," he looked delighted by the idea.

"What? Hanging? As in they're going to kill someone?" Who in their right mind would want to watch that?

"Yeah, there really is nothing in that head of yours is there?" Joe muttered. Edyn still stood stunned. "Come on, I don't trust you here by yourself and personally I think you need to see someone die, it'll toughen you up! Besides, I heard there are four of them. First time in years the gallows have been full. It'll be great!" He rubbed his hands together in excitement.

"You are a sick man!" she couldn't hold her tongue.

His piggy eyes bore into hers. "And you are cheap thrill for my boys. Life is cruel, get over it!"

She felt as if she had been slapped across the face. How did life suddenly change so quickly? Only a few days ago she had happily been strolling through Locksley and now she felt as if she were living in hell.

She followed Joe and the other girls into the courtyard outside the castle. It looked like everyone had gathered to watch the horrible act of murder. They all disgusted her. She then thought she heard her name being called. Looking around she saw no one she knew. Then she heard it again. Turning right around she finally found who was calling her. She couldn't believe it. Sybil, an old friend from Locksley who had moved away a few years prior, was rushing over to her.

"Sybil! My God! Look at you," Edyn gushed.

She was even more beautiful that what she had been when Edyn had first moved into Nottinghamshire. Tall and curvy Sybil always had men turning their heads in her direction. She had long blonde curls that never seemed out of place with the brightest blue eyes and creamy white skin to make her even more stunning. Edyn never admitted it but she had always been jealous of her. She was always the plain average girl. Average height, skin paler than most, freckles across her nose, which had always seemed adorable as a child but not so much as she grew older. Her hair was dark red and framed her face though it never seemed to have the same body and curls as the rest of the girls she knew, hers was rather flat with only the slightest hint of curls at the end of her hair. Although she did like the dark brown colour of her eyes, but few people ever noticed them, especially when she used to spend so much time with someone like Sybil in comparison.

"Edyn, I never thought you would leave Locksley, you love it," Sybil said.

"Neither did I, we all have to leave home sometime. So here I am." There was no way she was going to explain to Sybil of her new job.

She nodded. "Well, I never would have thought you would be one to watch a hanging, but here you are."

"I'm not. I have to be here. Trust me when I say watching people die brings me no joy."

"I wouldn't think so, especially as they're from Locksley," Sybil commented.

This caught Edyn off guard. "What?"

"Didn't you know? I guessed that was why you were here."

Edyn shook her head. She was about to speak when the Sheriff arrived. As usual he rushed through his speech so he could bring out the prisoners. But it wasn't he who called them out. He handed the scroll to a young man who reluctantly accepted it.

Edyn then gasped. "That's Robin Hood!"

"Really?" Sybil stood on her toes for a better look. "So this is the man everyone's been hoping will put a stop to the Sheriff's taxes? He's awfully small for a crusader, and young. Not at all how I pictured him."

Robin's stance was stiff and his voice was gruff making his objection to the execution obvious to the people gathered. Edyn's heart suddenly sank when she heard the names being called.

"Benedikt Giddens of Locksley, Will Scarlett of Locksley, Luke Scarlett of Locksley, Allan a Dale of Locksley," Robin's voice echoed around the courtyard.

She watched in horror as the Scarlett boys were brought out with the other two prisoners. She had not been aware of their arrest. She the noticed Dan Scarlett at the front of the crowd; several people around him were occasionally clapping their hands on his shoulder as their way of comfort. He pathetically smiled to his sons as they passed by before being pushed up the stairs.

"Didn't the two Scarlett boys live near you?" Sybil queried.

Edyn nodded numbly. They couldn't die, they just couldn't. She could now hear Dan's voice calling out to them.

"The older one…?" Sybil started.

"Will."

"Will, that's it. Hmm, it's a shame. He's become quite handsome as he's gotten older," Sybil mused.

"Never occurred to me," Edyn answered honestly. She had never been one for chasing the boys around when she was younger. But studying him now, and comparing him to others surrounding him she could see what Sybil meant. He kept his face set and stern, though Edyn could still see the fear in his eyes, right up until the moment the hood was lowered over his face.

She could then hear someone calling out in the crowd, a priest. He claimed after visiting the prisoners last night and hearing their requests to become holy men he felt it was his right to put a stop to this execution. The Sheriff argued back angrily silencing the priest and paused mulling over the information. The courtyard was silent, everyone holding onto hope that they would be released.

"Well," the Sheriff broke the silence. "Hang them! And arrest him!"

There were several outcries from the crowd and after an attempted escape the priest was restrained and his disguise removed to find a nervous Locksley man disappointed in his failure to save them. The drumming sounded again, almost as loudly as Edyn's heartbeat, and suddenly the floor under their feet was dropped. She watched in horror as their bodies sank slightly before coming to a sudden, jerking stop. Almost instantly their bodies began thrashing around in a sickening way, legs kicking frantically, upper bodies twitching, heads rolling from side to side. It was all too much for Edyn.

Turning her back to them she hid her face in her hands. "This is horrible, how can they simply watch it!" she babbled. There was more yelling, and Edyn could have sworn she heard cheering.

Sybil suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her around. "He's saving them, Edyn. Robin Hood's cutting them down."

Edyn looked up in time to see one of Robin's arrows shoot through the air and cut the rope of Will's noose. His body crumpled to the ground next to where the man named Allan had landed a few moments before. The townsfolk where freeing Will from his restraints just as Luke and Benedikt both feel to the ground together.

Everything seemed to be going so fast. One moment they were just freeing themselves the next people were everywhere running in all different directions. Edyn could see through the crowd Luke and Benedikt fleeing with Dan Scarlett. But where was Will? She quickly scanned the area, and it didn't take her long at all to find him. He and the other prisoner Allan were desperately ducking through the crowd heading to the gate leading to the town. Robin and his companion quickly joined them and a moment later they were gone, fleeing through the streets of Nottingham.

Barely a day had gone by and already it was known that Robin was now an outlaw. His title, his lands and his home had all been stripped from him. She had heard that if the Sheriff were to catch him he was to be executed. The atmosphere was gloomier than before he had returned. Their one little speck of hope was gone.

The weeks went by and Edyn grew hatred beyond belief to her new job, home, master and almost everything else in her life. Joe's treatment to her was becoming worse and the men who regularly drank large quantities of mead and ale now felt they had a right to manhandle her, as they did so with the other girls. They all had a good laugh whenever one of them was to jump up and grope her, just to hear her squeal. Every time she saw Joe in the background glaring at her. She knew if she said something she would be homeless.

He had also forced her to change her attire. Her brown, shabby dress was replaced by a dark purple one that clung to her body, with a neckline that fell from her shoulders. All hope of modesty was gone. Gloria had laughed smugly about her plunging neckline having nothing to plunge into. Edyn was not at all big up top, and her noticeable ribs were over shadowing the cleavage she was meant to be showing.

The only thing in her life that was keeping her mind off everything was the constant news of Robin and his men. But it was not good news. From the rumours she overheard while working the people of Locksley had been terrorised after Robin's disappearance, some had been heard to have lost their tongues for not knowing his whereabouts. Edyn prayed her brother was not one of them. Recently, the talk around town had been of Robin murdering several innocent people, bailiffs and castle workers. Edyn had lost all her respect for him; maybe he was not the person she had believed him to be. But then she couldn't work out why he had helped her, why he had saved those men from hanging; it just didn't make sense for him to murder when he had seemed so against it.

One particular night while the killings were still being reported the tavern was unusually crowded. Fear had driven people to alcohol and several of the new guests wore cloaks trying to hide themselves. She passed one whispering something into Gloria's ear. Surprising she wasn't flirting with him; instead she nodded her head and conversed with him and wore a slight confused expression upon her face. Curious, Edyn cleared a table close by hoping for a better look. He was familiar. Very familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen him.

Approaching the bar she passed another cloaked figure but his face was completely hidden by his hood. She gasped when she felt his hand grab her arm and pull her to a side room and pull the curtain closed behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. He turned to her and pulled his hood down. "Robin!" she gasped. Of course, it was Allan, one of the men to be hung that she had seen before. She suddenly became very self-conscious of her outfit and desperately tried to pull the front of her dress higher.

"Now, now," he said. "Don't cover up on my behalf. There may be one or two gentlemen in there that haven't yet seen all you have to offer."

She scowled at him. How dare he judge her? "You may it sound like I chose this for myself."

He raised his eyebrows. "Didn't you?"

"Of course not! Do you think I enjoy this? There's nowhere else I can go."

"There's bound to be somewhere," he replied shaking his head.

Edyn scoffed. "Half of Nottingham lives on the street. I'm lucky to be here, as degrading as it is." Robin remained silent. He had not expected that sort of reaction. "What are you doing here anyway? Not planning on killing more people are you?" She suddenly became nervous.

"That is a lie!" His voice was menacing. "I'm here to make sure that it stops. But before I do that I thought I might ask around to see if anyone had seen the Nightwatchman, but it appears no one has."

_Strange_, she thought. "Well, as you're trying to clear your name, is it true about what happened in Locksley? People getting their tongues removed for not knowing where you are."

"You believe everything you hear don't you," he said. "Yes, I know one young man was unfortunate, but I gave myself in to put a stop to it."

"It wasn't my brother was it?" Robin shook his head and Edyn sighed with relief. "How did you escape from the castle?"

"I still have some friends," Robin answered simply. He was clearly annoyed by the topic.

They were silent for a moment, which gave Edyn time to consider something else she had heard about. "Was it you who's been leaving food parcel's and coin purses to some people in the villages?"

He slowly looked at her. "I want to help people. But with the Sheriff's schemes I am seen as the bad guy and they are now refusing my help. I have given up everything, absolutely everything for them, and they still do not trust me." After another moment of silence he straightened up and went to leave before he added, "Keep a look out for the Nightwatchman. I don't know how well he can be trusted."

It seemed such an odd thing to say but Edyn nodded and watched him and Allan sneak through the crowd and exit into the darkness. She wasn't at all surprised to hear the following evening that people were again rejoicing in his return from the Holy Land. She had no idea what he had done to assure the people that he was a good man but in a way she felt sorry for him. As far as she could see he was risking so much for them and they only showed their gratitude when it suited them. She wondered idly what her opinion of him would be if he had not helped her that day, if she had not spoken to him, or if she was still in Locksley away from all the rumours.

**A:N/ _Not the best chapter but I needed something to fill the gap. The hanging was supposed to go at the end of the first chapter but it would have ridiculously long so I decided I needed to have it as a separate chapter and add something to the end of it, and I thought interaction between my character and Robin would be interesting. It's supposed to be before he sneaks into the castle to talk to the Sheriff in the 3__rd__ episode, I thought maybe him and Allan might have another attempt at finding more information about the Nightwatchman. I don't really have an excuse of why he approached Edyn; I guess he was shocked at her working at such a place. I promise the next chapter will be much more interesting!_**

**_Oh, and a big thankyou to Bookworm41 for your lovely review and to everyone who added this to their alert list._ **

_**So please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think by reviewing. Again, constructive criticism is always welcome. **_


	3. Chapter 3

Time continued to pass by, but Edyn still couldn't get comfortable in her surroundings. Though she did not fight the men off when they approached her she did not willing move towards them as she was constantly instructed to do so. It felt sinful just to allow them to touch her. Joe became irritated by her reserved disposition and felt it was his duty to make sure all the hard tasks were to be done by her until she gave in.

"Oi, girl!" he barked at her one morning. "You like walking?"

Edyn looked up at him. "Will my answer matter?"

"Not at all. I need you to go and pick up a, err, delivery," he said.

"A delivery?"

"Yeah I know a fella who's got some cheap ale for me. Bargain price it is. There's a mule out the front with a small cart. Take that and meet him on the North road through Sherwood," he explained.

"Hmm, cheap alcohol being trading in a dark scary forest; sounds stolen to me," Edyn replied.

Without any warning Joe suddenly grabbed the front of her dress pulling her so close to his face she could smell the stench of his breath. She gasped in shock. "You say anything to anyone, or if I don't get my products you will pay for it! You get me?"

"Yes, sir," she replied timidly.

"Anymore cheek like that and I'll beat you so hard you won't even know your name." He threw her a small sack of coins. "Pay him with this and don't get any ideas about keeping anything for yourself. Now get going!"

She quickly leapt to her feet and disappeared outside before the other girls could see her fear. He had terrified her, more than she had been before.

The trip into Sherwood Forest was long and tiring. The mule she led was slow and lazy dragging its feet and holding its head low making Edyn's job so much harder. Her heart beat wildly when she finally spotted a man approaching her on a large carriage pulled by two bulky draft horses. What if he harmed her? He did steal after all. But he gave her no grief. Obviously not wanting to hang around he quickly took the money and helped her load the barrels onto the small cart. He gladly left her the moment the job was done.

The way back was much worse. Now with the heavily weighed down cart the mule walked even slower to the point where Edyn thought they would never make it back.

"Come on!" she whined. "We'll be walking in the dark at this rate." But the mule continued on at it's slow pace. "You know I envy you. Hardly any work at all yet you still get fresh food and water everyday. I bet your food is even better than mine. Then again anything is better than what I eat." She laughed to herself. The food that was divided up amongst the girls was rancid and tiny in proportion, but Edyn had never been so hungry and scoffed it down, as did the others sharing her hunger. "God, I am so hungry!"

"You know that is the first sign of madness," she heard a voice say.

She stopped and looked around in all directions. She couldn't see a single soul.

"Who's there?" She got no response. "Hello?"

"Hello." The voice came from behind her. This time when she spun around they were still there and they were very familiar. "You know you shouldn't talk to yourself like that, never know who may be around," Robin said grinning widely at her. He slowly began walking towards her with something strapped to the front of his chest though she couldn't figure out what it could be.

"Yes, and who may be eavesdropping," she replied. "Not that I was talking to myself," she added quickly.

"Oh? And who were you talking to then?" he questioned.

"The mule," she admitted sheepishly.

"I wouldn't have thought he was the conversational type."

"Well he's not, but he's a great listener. Doesn't have much of an opinion so I can talk until I'm blue and he won't interrupt."

"I see," he said approaching her still.

She then became a little uneasy. "What do you want with me?"

"Well, this is an ambush." As he spoke several more men appeared from behind the nearby trees, she noticed Will amongst them at the back.

Edyn backed up slightly. "I have nothing here but ale, I doubt that'll help the poor much," she said desperately hoping to get out of the situation. Joe surely would not believe that outlaws stole from her and she didn't want to find out if he really was as violent as he seemed.

"And what, because they're poor that means they don't enjoy a drink like everyone else? We will only take a small amount and then you can be on your way. I told you before I want to help people."

"No! You can't!" Robin stared at her questioning. "If I do not return with every barrel of ale full to the top then he will punish me." Robin's face softened remembering her situation.

"I thought you lived with your brother," Will spoke up moving closer.

She stared at him astonished. He would rarely speak unless she didn't want him to. "Not anymore. After everything that's been happening we decided it would be best if I moved to Nottingham." Again, she was too ashamed to explain her situation.

"When you say punish…?" Robin asked.

Edyn shook her head. "I don't know what he's capable of, and I'm not sure I want to find out."

"I see. Well, it just so happens we were not after your products but in fact your cart," Robin said.

"Huh?"

"It seems we have a bit to discuss." He shifted the strange object attached to his front and to Edyn's surprise it moved. She stared at it wide eyed.

"Is that a baby?"

"Yes it is," Robin replied casually. "Will," he called handing the baby over. It moaned slightly at the movement before calming down.

"I know you like to help the poor but I didn't realise that baby sitting was part of the package," Edyn said noticing how gentle Will was with the child.

"We found him in the forest and intend to reunite him with his mother. And this is where you come into it."

She turned back to Robin. "Me? What do I have to do with it?"

"Well, I need to get some of my men into the castle, and looking at that cart of yours I'm guessing I could fit two of them in there," Robin said while inspecting the cart.

"I'm hoping your not meaning him being one of them," Edyn said looking over at the largest of Robin's men. He grunted at her irritably.

Robin laughed. "No not Little John, but possibly Allan and Will." He pointed to where Will and Allan were standing. "You see, I was thinking that maybe you could say you were delivering supplies to the castle. When you have got the cart in safely my men can get out, let the rest of us in and you can go back to your master, we can save that baby's mother and everyone is happy."

"That simple, huh?"

"Well, for you, yes."

Again Edyn looked around uneasily. "I dunno… I want to help, but…" She glanced over at the tiny baby in Will's arms as it began to cry. She had never been the maternal type. Children had never been something she desperately craved for. They were loud and messy. Besides, there always seemed to be far more important things to worry about.

While she watched the baby she had not noticed Robin studying her. Now he stood closer to her he could see how skinny she was. The dress she wore was tight around the waist showing how lean she was, all he could see on her chest, which she was clearly supposed to be displaying were her prominent collarbones. "How much does your master give you to eat?"

She turned to stare back at him wide eyed. It seemed such an odd question. "Enough."

"Are you sure? If you are hungry we can give you some extra food."

"I'm fine. There are many people worse of than me. I won't except any help while they all still suffer." Robin raised his eyebrows at her statement.

"What is your name?"

She stared at him for a moment. It only just occurred to her that he had never asked her before. "Edyn."

"Well, Edyn, I'm glad that there are still some people out there that also care about others, but please don't let yourself suffer purely for pride. If you are hungry or need help then please ask."

"Thank you, but like I said before, I don't need help. If I do then I will let you know." Robin nodded but she got the feeling he didn't believe her.

The baby's cries still echoed around the forest. "Can't you stop it, Will?" one of the men complained.

Will continued to sway backwards and forwards with the small bundle in his arms but it still did not stop. "I'm trying."

"Oi, why don't you give it to the girl," Allan called. Edyn stared at him. "Well you're a woman, isn't it instinct or something?"

Edyn scoffed. "It is instinct when it is your own child, not when you come across six useless men with a baby in the middle of a forest."

"Aw, come on. Have a go," Allan pushed Will and the baby in her direction.

"No!" Edyn backed away.

Robin then took the baby from Will and it gradually calmed down. "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid; I just don't want to hold it." Truth be told, she had never held a baby before and the thought of it did frighten her a bit. They were so small and fragile.

"Of course you do. All women love babies," Robin persisted.

"Well I don't. Besides, you've already got it to quieten down. You just want me to feel sorry for it so I will help you."

"Not at all, just hold out your arms."

"Robin, I don't want to–!" But before she could finish, Robin was already placing the baby in her arms. She held it awkwardly for a moment. "Okay, I've held it, would you please take it?" Robin simply laughed at her.

"Just relax," he coaxed. "His name is Seth."

"I don't care what his name is!"

"Master, I need a word," another one of his men called.

Edyn tried calling out but he was already moving towards his men discussing something quietly. "Typical," she muttered to herself. She had no option but to nurse the baby while Robin spoke amongst his men. When she looked down at him she couldn't help but smile a little as he twitched during his slumber. She gently stroked one of his soft round cheeks. "Well at leased you've got the right sense to be cute," she muttered. As she stroked his face he slowly turned his head towards her finger while opening and closing his mouth, his tongue rolling in and out. "You're hungry. I know that feeling well." It choked back a cry as she removed her hand away. Not a moment later his cries were echoing around the forest once more. "Damn it!" she cursed trying to calm him. She heard Allan sniggering somewhere behind her. She tried her best to ignore him while bringing the baby closer to her chest and bouncing him gently. His screaming stopped but he still groaned in hunger.

"Robin," she called out. He looked up at her. "You have got to get this baby back to his mother, and if you need my help then… I guess I better help you," she reluctantly agreed.

"I'm glad you agreed," Robin said while taking the baby from her. "Now, this is what we will do..."

The next morning Edyn snuck out of the Trip Inn before the sun had even begun to rise. As quietly as she could she crept into the stables and hurriedly began putting the harness on the old mule. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and spun around to find Allan grinning at her with Will standing behind him.

"Glad to see you didn't chicken out," he laughed.

"When I say I'll do something I mean it," she answered.

When they got the cart on Edyn shuddered as Will ripped the side off so he and Allan could squeeze in. "I'll repair it before your master will ever know," he promised her. Edyn just nodded. Her nerves were beginning to build up and she wasn't sure if she could speak. "Robin gave us these for you to put on so you won't be recognised," he handed her an old cloak and scarf.

She put them on as Will climbed in. Allan looked in after him. "Look I'm not being funny but this is gonna be a tight fit."

"Just get in!" she heard Will say from inside. Once Allan was in and still complaining she shoved the sidepiece back in place and began leading the mule outside. As she walked she could see a pair of eyes peering at her from behind a house. Robin motioned for her to pull up her hood. She did as she was instructed, plus pulling the scarf up over her mouth and nose seemed like a good idea.

She took a deep and shaky breath before knocking on the castle gates. The seconds it took for the guards to open the gate felt like hours and the temptation to run was building. Finally one of the gates creaked open and a tall guard stood before her.

"Got deliveries 'ere for t'castle," she said trying to make her voice sound as common as she could.

The guard stared down at her. "We were not expecting any today."

"Well I was instructed to deliver 'em by order of t'Sheriff." He simply stared at her. "Go ask 'im if ya like," she bluffed.

It seemed to work as he reluctantly opened the gates for her. Her heart was beating so fast as she led the mule and cart into the castle grounds. Another guard was standing by the gates. "Store room's that way," he pointed around to the side of the castle. "Unload it yourself."

"Right ya are," Edyn replied.

Once out of the guard's sight she let out the breath she had been holding before ducking to the side of the cart and knocked on the wood twice. The sidepiece was pushed out and Allan silently hopped out soon to be followed by Will.

"Once we've got the gate open head straight back to the stable," Will reminded her. He and Allan quickly disappeared back towards the gate. Edyn hid behind the wall and cautiously peeked at the gate. Both Allan and Will snuck up behind the guards closing the gate then suddenly they both struck them on the back of the head. The sound they made as they clattered to the ground made Edyn freeze. Surely someone would have heard that? But no one came. The gates were opened and Edyn forced the mule to move as fast as it would go out of there.

Outside she passed Robin and the rest of his men heading in. He had the baby in his arms and quickly handed him to her. "Take him!"

"What?" He hadn't mentioned anything about caring for the baby while they were in there. What if they were still in there when Joe woke up? How would she explain it? But she had no choice but to take him and continue to the stables where they would hopefully meet her with the child's mother as well as the blonde mans mother. Roy, she thought his name was.

While she waited she busied herself with unharnessing the mule and giving him a good brush. She had wrapped the baby and placed him in the cart and was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. Edyn wished she were that carefree. Every little sound made her jump or spin around. Each minute that went passed made her more edgy. She constantly checked the door to see if they were out yet or not but every time there was no difference, with the exception of the sun getting higher and brighter. Soon the town would begin to wake up and her master would be among the first.

"Come on, come on!" she muttered aloud while pacing back and forth.

After what seemed like hours she could hear the clattering of swords and yelling faintly coming from the castle. She quickly scooped the baby into her arms and peeked around the door. The castle gates were open but no one was leaving. There was several people standing at the opening but they were too far away to see whom they were. The yelling and crying continued and finally the gates opened fully allowing Robin's men to escape. Edyn stayed hidden in case the guards followed but they didn't go much further than a few steps from the gates.

They ducked into a back street and came up the side of the stables. "Keep going back to the forest," Robin called to his men. She noticed the larger man helping an older woman along who was weeping hysterically. They all passed the stables with grim expressions on their faces. Something was wrong. But Edyn didn't have time to wonder as Allan snuck inside pulling a young woman along with him.

"Oh, my baby!" she cried when she spotted Edyn carrying her child. She gladly passed the baby over to the woman who gave her a tearful smile. "Thank you! Thank you so very much!"

"Annie, we need to go," Robin called through the window from outside. She thanked Edyn once more before disappearing outside clutching Allan's hand. Robin glanced in and nodded his thanks to Edyn.

"Wait!" she tried to stop him. "What happened?"

Robin looked at the ground before mumbling, "Roy was killed. And I should have prevented it." Edyn was silent. How were you supposed to respond to something like that? "I'll send Will to repair your cart later," he said when she didn't reply. "Thank you," he said giving her the slightest smile. And then he was gone, running after where his men had disappeared only a few moments earlier.

Once they were gone Edyn ran back to the tavern and silently crept back through the window she had snuck out of. She nearly had nearly made it in when she heard Joe's voice yelling. "Oi! What do you think you're doing?"

She timidly looked up at him. He suddenly looked so much larger than what he normally did. "Umm… I was… err…" Why could she never think of a lie quickly? "I was at the stables, umm, checking the mule."

"What? Why would you do that? Did you do something to it yesterday?" His voice was menacing.

"N-no! Well, he was a bit stiff yesterday after the long walk. I thought I'd check on him before you got up." The minutes ticked by as he simply glared at her before he finally grunted at her in disgust and skulked away. _Phew_, that had been close. Yet somehow she had found it so uplifting, the adrenalin rushing through her, the fear, the appreciation she had received. How she had loved it, and how much she craved to do it again.

**A:N/ _I hope this chapter wasn't too cheesy, I loved writing it! Please don't think she's a Kate wannabe, she's not going to become a member of the gang. I absolutely hate Kate. And Tuck. And the third season, although I thought the last two episodes were amazing *sniff!*_**

_**Again, a big thankyou to everyone who has added this story to their favourites and/or alert list, and to Iloveskitteryandmush for your lovely reviews. **_


	4. Chapter 4

The days working at the Trip Inn were getting slower and more meaningless. Edyn's life seemed to have lost all spark since she had helped Robin and his men. The thrill of doing something worth while had made her feel so alive, so energetic, even a little appreciated. But now everything just seemed so low. She was in constant fright of her master, the drunks he encouraged into his tavern as well as the Sheriff's men that continually patrolled the area. But above everything she felt lonely.

She would converse a little with Catherine but her life was all about her job, something Edyn despised so conversation was always a letdown. Ebony never really had much to say and Gloria still made her dislike towards Edyn obvious. Occasionally she spotted Sybil around the town but they would only ever get a few moments before some handsome man caught her attention or Joe barked at Edyn to get back to work. She desperately wished Robin needed her help again so she could not only be doing something good but also to have someone to talk to.

A few nights after the incident at the castle she had spotted someone sneak into the stables. Forcing herself to fight against her fear she silently crept inside to see who it was. Relief had washed over her when she realised it was simply Will coming to repair the cart for her.

"Oh," she breathed, "it's only you."

He looked at her puzzled. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"No, no. Just…" she shook her head. "Nothing." For a moment he looked as if he was going to say something but as usual he kept quiet and turned his attention back to his simple task.

Edyn moved closer to him and perched herself on a stool near where he worked. He glanced at her nervously from the corner of his eye. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" He simply shook his head barely making eye contact with her. "Thanks," she muttered. "Since I moved here I have to admit I've been quite lonesome." Although he did not look at her she noticed he paused from his work briefly. "Do you miss your family?"

Finally he looked up at her. "Of course."

"But you don't regret leaving with Robin to help the poor?"

"Not at all. It's a great feeling knowing we're helping people."

Edyn leant her head back against the wall. "You know I envy you. What I would give to simply run away to help Robin and the poor." She laughed to herself, noticing the corners of Will's mouth twitch upwards. "You don't think I could do it?"

"I just don't think you realise what it's like living in the forest. It is cold, and wet most of the time. We don't get to bathe often and a lot of our own food gets given away. You'd be surprised how often we are hungry."

She scoffed. "That I am used to," she muttered under her breath.

He looked up at her, a slight worried expression on his face. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" she tried to simply brush it off.

His eyes narrowed. "You know if you need help all you need to do is ask."

Edyn sighed. "Yes, I know. Robin already told me. But I don't need help."

"No one would think differently of you if you did," he said.

"This isn't about pride."

By now he had finished his task. "Yes it is. I know we didn't speak much but living near you all those years gave me a pretty good impression of what kind of a person you are. You don't like to feel belittled by people helping you. You like to force yourself to do it all on your own, as your brother had to do to provide for the both of you."

She half glared at him. "You think you got me figured out?"

"Haven't I?"

She thought for a moment before replying. "Not quite."

Though he still didn't smile fully she couldn't help but notice a slight twinkle in his eye, which made her think that he was holding back from laughing. "Right, well I should go."

Edyn's heart sank. "Oh. Well, thank you, for fixing it." He merely nodded his head before heading to the door. "Wait!" she called. "Umm… If, err…" She took a deep breath before she could say, "If Robin ever needs help to get into the castle again or something like that…"

"Edyn," Will cut her off, "I understand that you want to help, but you can't be seen with us. If you were to get caught you would be executed. It was foolish of Robin to ask for your help in the first place."

"But I want to help," she said pathetically.

"None of us want to see you get hanged. Trust me; it's not a pleasant experience." Edyn shuddered at the sudden memory of his body hanging from a rope, his limbs twitching against the strain. "I'm sorry," he muttered quietly, and then he was gone, disappearing in the darkness of the street.

Edyn sat by herself for a while after that mulling over everything. All that was waiting for her back at the tavern was the cold hard floor and the stench of the men that had been in earlier. With a heavy heart she forced herself back there.

In the days that followed the whole of Nottingham town was in a hype for the upcoming fair with the main attraction of the archery competition. Edyn was not the leased bit fussed about it. She was given the morning off to run errands for Joe or to simply get out of his greasy hair, so she was able to watch if she wanted to, but the thought of watching the poor of Nottingham scape together what little money they had to attempt to win the silver arrow made Edyn feel ill. It was obvious the Sheriff wouldn't let just anyone walk away with something so valuable. She knew he would have a plan in place to ensure the arrow would stay in his possession.

But when the day arrived curiosity got the better of her and she headed in the direction of where the fair was being held. At the last moment she and the other girls had been given the whole day off as Joe was off taking bets for who they thought would win the archery competition.

When she got there she couldn't help but smile. Everyone seemed so happy, dancing and laughing together as if everything bad just seemed to disappear. Children ran between the legs of the spectators giggling and screaming with joy. Edyn sighed with contentment, if only everyday had the same relaxed atmosphere.

The dancers continued to skip and whoop along with the fiddle and flute, each one with flowers in their hair. One woman in particular had a wreath on them circling the crown of her blonde head. It took Edyn a moment to recognise that pile of golden curls was Sybil. As usual she was accompanied by the most handsome man that was present; incredibly tall with a fair amount of muscle, dark hair and eyes to match, though they were not quite as dark as Edyn's. She had to admit to herself, she was incredibly jealous.

She waited until the dance ended before approaching them. "Well look at you all dressed up," she said, as she got closer.

Sybil turned and gasped. "Edyn! I didn't know if you were going to come or not," Sybil babbled as she threw her arms around Edyn's neck. "I have something important to tell you later," she whispered in her ear before pulling away. "This," she indicated to the man at her side, "is Marcus. He just moved here from a little town outside of London. Marcus, this is Edyn, a close friend of mine."

Marcus stepped forward. "How do you do, Edyn?"

Edyn smiled up at his manner. She was often introduced to Sybil's gentlemen friends but they rarely paid Edyn any attention giving her the idea they were quite rude. "Very well thank you, Marcus. And yourself?"

"I cannot complain at all with this company," he looked down at Sybil beaming.

Edyn's smile widened. "So, when did you two meet?" she asked.

Sybil giggled before answering. "Well, technically we met years ago. Our parents are old friends and we stayed with Marcus's family when we visited London when I was younger. So when Marcus decided to move here his mother recommended that he should drop by our house and say hello. So a few days ago I got a knock on my door and well, here we are. I thought it only polite to invite him to our little fair, meet some the locals and all that."

"That's great," said Edyn.

Sybil studied her appearance for a moment before grabbing her hand. "Come on, I'm going to fix your hair and then we'll find you a partner so you can join us dancing. I haven't seen a proper smile on your face for quite a while now," she informed Edyn as she dragged her away from the music.

Edyn tried to protest. "Sybil, please. You don't have to do this."

"But I want to," Sybil said with amusement.

"But I don't," Edyn muttered softly.

Sybil half glared at her before laughing. "You haven't changed a bit from when we were younger." It wasn't long before they arrived at the small house Sybil lived in with her parents. She immediately began fiddling with Edyn's hair, pulling it from its restrains at the back of her neck letting her loose curls unravel down her back. Edyn grumbled to herself but allowed Sybil to have her fun. Her hands were gentle as she hooked the sides of Edyn's hair up and placed a few blue flowers amongst the red.

"Edyn?" she asked as she continued to fuss and play with her hair. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, Sybil. When have you ever kept something from me?"

"I know; it's just… well this is something we never had to discuss when we were younger."

"What is it?" Edyn asked nervously.

"It's nothing bad. Please don't worry. It's umm, well it's incredible really." Sybil took a deep breath before speaking. "Marcus asked for my hand. And I agreed."

Edyn spun around in her seat. "What? Oh, Sybil! That's great!"

"Really? You think so?"

"Of course I do." She leapt up to hug her friend. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. My parents are thrilled. He's got himself a small house in the town where we both can live once we're married. Oh, Edyn, I'm so excited!"

They both giggled and squealed loudly together. "I have to admit, Sybil, I'm quite envious." Sybil looked at her confused. "I mean you've basically got your life planned. And he obviously loves you enormously. It won't be long before your married and starting a family of your own."

Sybil's face became sympathetic. "Oh, Edyn. I never knew you wanted such things. When we were younger you were never fantasised about marriage or children. You were always off in your own little world."

Edyn laughed. "Yes, I was. But we all have to grow up eventually. And it's not like I crave getting married or having kids, but whenever I imagine myself older there's always a family standing with me."

"You fear you will never meet someone?" Sybil questioned.

"No, it's– Well, yes, maybe a little… But it's not just that. I worry that I won't end up with the right person. And… that I'll never be happy."

Sybil's expression became more confused. "I don't understand."

"I'm a tavern maid. It's obvious that if I ever marry it will be to some dirty bloke who will only marry me because it's what the right thing to do. He won't love me and neither will I love him. And as silly as it sounds the only thing I long for is… love," Edyn struggled to admit. "I've never been close enough to a man to know what love feels like. That fabulous euphoric feeling people seem to have whenever they are around that special someone."

Sybil leant forward and squeezed her hand. "I had no idea you felt this way."

Shaking her head Edyn tried to brush it off. "It doesn't matter. I should never have said those things. So have you decided when you want the ceremony?"

Edyn could see in Sybil's face that she wanted to continue discussing Edyn's confession but the excitement of her wedding was just too much for her to ignore. Edyn was relieved the conversation had diverted away from her, she had not meant for those feelings to come out, truth be told she barely liked to admit them to herself.

It wasn't long before Sybil had finished her hair and could no longer think of any little details she hadn't yet discussed with Edyn. "So," said Edyn standing up. "Are we ready to go?"

"You're always in such a rush. I guess my work is done," Sybil said satisfied. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Edyn couldn't help but smile.

Sybil held out her arm and Edyn linked her own arm through it. "So, are we ready to find you a dance partner?"

Edyn blushed. She loved dancing, but whenever she had attended fairs when she was younger she had always been overlooked. She hated that feeling of rejection and her stomach was tying in knots uncomfortably at the thought. She didn't want to feel that way again. "Umm, I might stand aside and watch."

"You really frustrate me at times," Sybil giggled as they headed back to the fair. Almost instantly Sybil had forced a male friend of hers to dance with Edyn. It was awkward and she couldn't stop herself from blushing, but she enjoyed the dance and was surprised when she was asked to dance several times by different people. They were a mixture of Sybil's friends who she pushed to dance with her and some of the regulars from the tavern. She wanted to turn and hide when Max approached her already intoxicated. She was relieved when Marcus came to save her.

"Excuse me for interrupting but I think it's my turn to dance with this young lady," he said politely pulling Edyn away. She persisted to thank him for the rest of the day and dreaded the thought of working that night as Max would surely be there and Marcus would be nowhere nearby.

As the day went on the archery contest began. Many gathered around to watch but the music continued for those who were not interested. Sybil was not at all fascinated in the archery whereas Marcus was more than keen to watch; so they compromised and went back and forth. Edyn happily trailed behind them listening to them argue playfully.

"Come on, Edyn. How about one more dance, huh? Before you have to leave," Marcus asked as the afternoon dragged on. Edyn groaned. She was tired and her feet were beginning to ache. She dreaded the fact that she was going to be on them till late that night serving drinks. "Come on!" he persisted.

"Okay, one more and then that's it," she agreed.

He grinned widely as he dragged her to where Sybil was dancing with another local who was continuously giving Marcus dark stares as Sybil's attention was almost always on him. The song was fast and cheery and the dancers were forced to skip along to the quick beat. Edyn giggled as Marcus spun her around making her hair bounce around her face. When he spun her a third time he called over the music, "Some man over there is staring at you. Maybe you should go over and ask him to dance." He gave her a cheeky grin.

Baffled she looked over her shoulder and was surprised to find Will watching her half hidden in the shadows with his hood pulled up. Another one of Robin's men stood with him. "I'll be right back," she said to Marcus not taking her eyes from Will who had quickly diverted his when she had spotted him.

"What? Wait, no! I wasn't being serious."

But Edyn ignored him and squeezed through the crowd. As she approached the two of them Will nodded his head in acknowledgement to her. "Hmm, two men standing in the shadows with cloaks and hoods on, not suspicious at all," she said sarcastically.

"Well, so far you're the only one to have spotted us," Will replied, slightly amused.

"Yes, and we would like to keep it that way so please leave so we don't attract any attention," the other man spoke up nervously.

"Much!" Will shot the man a cautioning look and Edyn tried not to take it personally.

"Actually I'm probably helping you to blend in. You see this is what normal people do at fairs; they stand around and converse with each other. It's not like I'm standing on a table pointing at you and screaming who you are." Will smirked and the man called Much gave her a dark stare. "So what are you two doing here anyway?"

"None of your business!" Much snapped.

"Fine," Edyn said simply turning her attention back to the latest archer to stand up and have a go at winning the great prize. There was something odd about how the archer kept his hood up hiding his face from view. What was even stranger was how both Will and Much stiffened slightly when he stood up on the podium about to shoot. And then it clicked. "Is that…?" Will nodded not taking his eyes from Robin as he hit the centre of the bullseye making the crowd go wild with excitement.

"HOOD!" The Sheriff suddenly appeared with Sir Guy and a number of guards standing behind them. "Seize him!"

Suddenly it turned to chaos. Robin quickly hid himself amongst the crowd and both Will and the man called Much pushed passed Edyn to assist him. But they were too late. The guards were already pulling Robin's cloaked figure back to his feet and removed his hood. But it was not Robin who stood between the Sheriff and his guards. A sandy haired boy smiled nervously at the crowd and out of the corner of her eye Edyn noticed someone climbing out from under a table. His two friends helped him to his feet, draped a cloak around his shoulders and were out of the courtyard before anyone else had noticed.

_Smooth_, Edyn thought to herself as a smile crossed her face; _very smooth._

**A:N/ **_**Yay, another chapter! What do you think? Just for the heads up, something big is going to go down in the next chapter, which is why I'm rushing to have this one posted ;) I hope Will didn't seem too OOC. He has gotta be the hardest character to write. I thought it would be easy because he says very little, but then the little dialogue you give him has to be spot on. Every other character I think "what would they say in this situation?" And with Will you're kinda like "he doesn't say anything… Problem!" Sorry the ending is a bit… rushed. I didn't really know how to end it and when I typed that last sentence I thought that'll do.**_

_**Thankyou to Iloveskitteryandmush and to Musicunderground! You're reviews made my day =) **_


	5. Chapter 5

That night at the Trip Inn there were a number of different faces amongst the regulars all celebrating the fair, several of them similar ages to Edyn and the other girls. Even Edyn had to admit a few of the younger men were quite good looking. The three other girls seemed to be enjoying themselves more than Edyn had even seen them before. They each seemed to be favouring a gentleman of their choice, all of them young and handsome. Surprisingly she was happy for them; they were genuinely having a good time; nothing was false, from the smiles on the girl's faces to the complements they received. Gloria in particular seemed quite taken by a young blonde haired man who continued to send her fond looks from across the tavern.

But the excitement did not spread throughout the entire inn. Many of the regulars were becoming irritable at being ignored for these boys, hardly men in their eyes. Even Joe had taken to glaring at the blonde man who happily doted upon Gloria who was not feigning her interest for him at all.

"Come on, Miss, how about a dance? I saw you earlier skipping around enjoying yourself," a youthful man asked Edyn. "Let's see if we can put that smile back on your face." She surprised herself when she agreed without even a moment's hesitation. He may not have been as good looking as some of the other gentlemen but his youth made him more attracting than any of the others that usually made advances on her. It wasn't long before she stiffened slightly when she felt his hands trail down her back; no matter how young or good looking they were, they were all still men. She pulled away slightly but he wasn't going to have any of that pulling her tightly against his chest. She felt his lips brush against her ear as he whispered, "Why don't you show me how you accommodate us men willing to pay, as I've heard so much about." It was true; Edyn had regularly seen the other girls lead men out to the back rooms, and what they were doing was no secret. She felt a coin being pressed into her palm. "How about it, hmm?" the voice in her ear returned.

Again, she tried to pull away, shaking her head. "No, let go of me!"

"C'mon," he encouraged.

"You heard her, she said no." Joe was suddenly standing beside them and the man's grip loosened giving Edyn the opportunity to escape to where she pathetically hid behind Joe. He put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Why don't I get you an ale?"

He glared at them both. "It seems that one of your whores has turned cold!" he spat for everyone to hear.

"She has made her choice, now it's your turn to choose; you may accept the drink I offered and go about your business, or you will leave my establishment."

Noticing all eyes were upon him, he simply scoffed and made his way to the door. "Things have changed since I was last here." When he received no cheers or encouragement he scowled and vacated the Trip Inn.

Edyn let out a sigh. "Thank you, Joe."

"He didn't hurt you?" She shook her head. He reached up and stroked her cheek with a grubby hand. As much as she wanted to flinch she reminded herself of his kindness. "No one hurts my girls," he said proudly. She smiled at him sweetly and left to continue with her jobs.

Since the advances she had received she had become much more jumpy than usual. She dared not let anyone touch her and wished the night would quickly come to an end. Gloria, however, did not share her desire. She was now perched in the blonde man's lap allowing him to gently caress her neck with his lips. Strangely it did not seem as profane as it usually did. It appeared to be sweet and meaningful; his touch was soft and her smile was genuine.

"It's such a relief to see her happy. Truly happy, I mean," Catherine commented when she had torn herself away from her tall pursuer. "She deserves it. I wish Joe would understand. I fear he may have become too attached to her over the years."

They both glanced over to where Joe had returned to his sullen expression as he stared at the young couple. "She's been with him a while then?" Edyn questioned.

"The longest out of all of us," Catherine replied. "Apparently she came to him when she was fifteen. She lost everything. Her family died from various reasons over time until she was left on her own and it wasn't too long before she lost her home from taxation. Joe found her wandering the streets looking for food scraps, so he offered her a home and a job. I don't know the finer details in all of it but that's the basic story."

"I had no idea," Edyn said softly. She glanced over at her master. She was suddenly seeing another side to him. Maybe he wasn't as fowl as she had first thought.

A short while later Joe called her over. "Edyn, come, let's have a talk."

Slightly curious Edyn approached him assuming it had something to do with what had happened earlier. He led her to one of the private rooms out the back. Right before he closed the door he glanced once more in Gloria's direction and sighed.

"Thank you, again, for what you did before," Edyn said. "I hope I didn't cause too much of a commotion." He made no attempt to reply or move. He simply remained standing next to the closed door, his eyes on the ground. "Is everything okay?" she asked. There was a loud clunk and he slowly moved away from the door he had just locked.

"I'll be fine in a moment." His voice was strange, gruff and deeper than normal.

Something wasn't right, this wasn't right. Edyn instinctively took a step backwards. "I think it's about time you thanked me for all I've done for you," he said. This definitely wasn't right. "You know, there's only one way I like to be thanked."

"No," her voice had no volume.

"My help comes with a price, and your payment is long overdue," he continued.

"Is that what you told Gloria when you offered her your help?"

Her words did not seem to intimidate him in the least seeing that he was smirking at her. "She knew exactly what she was required to do. She did not muck around with this "good girl" appearance."

Suddenly he was upon her. She had foolishly backed herself into a wall and now he had his body weight pressed against her preventing her from moving; her breath caught in her throat. "Those other girls, they're dirty, the kind of dirt that can't be removed; tainted if you will. But you, you're so… untouched, so clean. Pure, some might say. Oh, how I can't wait to stake my claim." She let out a shaky breath and her body shuddered with fear as he allowed his hands to roam along her body.

"Let go of me, please?" she begged.

"No need for manners. There ain't no-one else here but you and me." His stubby fingers moved up to her face and he stroked her check for the second time that night; this time she did not reframe from flinching away from his touch.

"Get away from me!" she attempted to push him off her but it was useless.

He laughed leaning towards her again and she could hear his intake of breath as he inhaled the scent of her hair. "So clean," he whispered in her ear.

She couldn't take it anymore. She shoved him off her as roughly as she could and attempted to make a run for the door but without even breaking a sweat he had painfully pinned her to the wall once again.

"Get off me!" She was about to cry out when she felt the cold steal of a knife being pressed against her throat.

"If you scream you will never leave this room ever again, understand?" he growled menacingly.

She let out a sob as she felt her body tremble with fear. She didn't know how to get out of this situation and she knew exactly how far he would go. He inclined his head closer and she turned her head away trying desperately to think of a way out. She suddenly felt his hot mouth against her neck, leaving a trail of saliva running down her skin and she felt his teeth graze her. His hand then reached up and groped one of her breasts, squeezing it painfully. She whimpered again. This could not be happening! Her heart began racing when with horror she felt him hitching up her dress and pressing himself closer. Fear suddenly got the better of her as she desperately struggled out of his grip. She felt a sting of pain as the knife pierced her skin but the wound was not deep, merely a scratch.

She leapt towards the door once more, but again he had her before she could even get close to it, slamming his body against her causing her to lose balance. She felt herself falling and braced herself. When she hit the ground she tried scrambling back to her feet but he was already ahead of her. Rolling her over so she lay on her back he had her pinned her to the ground. "You're just making it worse for yourself!" he growled. She heard the tearing of fabric as he ripped her dress in their struggle. In the scuffle he had lost the knife but had his hand placed firmly over her mouth. Her muffled cries would not carry out to the noisy tavern.

Once again she felt the fear bubble inside her as he violently tried to spread her legs. She sobbed pathetically as her hands rummage around her in search of some sort of weapon in her last desperation. He began fiddling with the ties on his trousers. She then felt something cool and hard. The knife! Her undergarments were pulled from her and he positioned himself at the same moment Edyn forcefully embedded the knife deep in his upper arm. The screech that escaped his throat was unlike anything she had ever heard before. She swiftly escaped his grip and wrenched the door open; roughly pushing passed anyone in her way. Everything seemed so distorted. People were laughing and singing, getting drunk and enjoying themselves. It almost felt as if they were taunting her. She could then hear Joe roaring her name as she fled from the inn and into the darkness of Nottingham.

She didn't know how far through the town she had run, with the adrenalin pulsing through her body she felt no exhaustion from the struggle or run. When she was sure nobody had followed her she stopped and paced back and forth. What had she done? Her entire body was trembling, she felt as if something was rattling in her chest. Her mind had turned to mush as she tried to analyse everything. Eventually she allowed her body to fall to the ground and she ran her fingers through her hair.

It was then that she heard footsteps. Peering through the curtain of her hair she spotted someone at the end of the road watching her. She let out a cry as she jumped to her feet and backed away from the new arrival, for it was the Nightwatchman.

He held out his hands in front of him as if trying to calm her. She stood frozen to the spot. Robin had warned her he could not be trusted, but fear had immobilised her to remain where she stood. Very slowly he approached her and gently brought a hand to her shoulder. Her dress was torn from the struggle but his attention was on the blood splatters covering her bare skin.

"It's not mine," she managed to say. He then pointed to the wound on her neck; that was clearly her blood. "That is," she admitted.

Shaking his head he then motioned for her to follow him. Edyn was reluctant; she was having no luck that night, what if he was leading her to a trap? But when he wrapped his fingers around her wrist she did not fight. Something at the back of her mind was telling her to follow the masked man.

He still would not speak as he led her back through the town, glancing past all the buildings to ensure they were not spotted. She wondered idly if this man were mute, why else would you refuse to speak?

They eventually came to the castle stables situated to the side of the great building. The Nightwatchman silently picked the lock and ushered her inside. She suddenly became nervous. What was his plan? What if they were to get caught? She dreaded the thought of the punishment they would receive. He pushed her into an empty stall and indicated for her to stay hidden. Her breath caught in her throat when he turned away from her and headed for the door. "Wait!"

Again, he simply gestured for her to stay put and left her shaking with terror. _He will return_, she told herself. _He wouldn't have just left me, surely_. If he didn't return by morning then a stableboy, if not a guard coming to collect his mount would surely spot her.

Edyn knew she had to stay awake and wait for the Nightwatchman to return; the adrenaline mixed with fear made it easy for her. But as the hours dragged on her eyelids became heavier. Soon the rough, itchy straw felt like a soft feather mattress and she gave in to her body's demands laying back, closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

She awoke to the sound of a gasp and something crashing to the ground. Without even opening her eyes Edyn knew she had been spotted. She scurried away from the noise and looked up into the face of the Lady Marian. She was done for. Lady Marian kept company with the likes of Sir Guy and when he would hear of this Edyn would be punished severely.

Pathetically, Edyn didn't even bother to try and get herself out of this situation. She simply brought her hands to her face and muttered, "Oh, God!"

She heard the rustling of straw as Lady Marian approached her, she assumed to pull her to her feet and give to the guards but she was surprised when out of the corner of her eye she noticed her sink down to the same level and ask softly, "What happen to you?"

Slowly, Edyn looked up at her stunned. When she didn't reply Marian continued, "How on earth did you get in here?"

"I- I don't know," she whispered. "Last night is a bit of a blur. It doesn't make sense." _Had she really seen the Nightwatchman?_

Edyn then realised, something was wrong. A Lady of the court would not come and see to her own horse, she would send someone else to do it for her. Glancing to the open door she could see it was only very early in the morning, too early for the stableboys to have started work already. Why would Lady Marian be up so early?

"Did you spend the night here?" Marian asked her interrupting her thoughts.

"Not the whole night," Edyn replied. The corners of Marian's mouth twitched, almost as if she was holding back from smiling, odd.

"What's your name?"

"Edyn."

"Well, Edyn, do you have somewhere you can go?"

"Umm… Yes," she took a while to reply. She would have to return to her brother and have to figure out another way to earn money.

Marian's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Am I to believe that you're looking for work?"

"Err, yeah, I guess I am." It was obvious there was no way she could return to the Trip Inn now. "Wait, why aren't you handing me over to the guards?" she suddenly asked.

Marian looked slightly taken back. "Would you rather I do that?"

"No, not at all. It just seems odd that you wouldn't," Edyn said.

"Well, as it happens, I may have a use for you. You can see it as repaying me for not giving you to the Sheriff's men."

"What use?" Edyn questioned.

"Have you ever worked as a maid?" Marian asked.

Edyn half smiled. "I think I can learn."

Marian smiled with her. "I was hoping you'd say that. Our last one recently moved here, to Nottingham, so I've been searching for a replacement."

"Surely they wouldn't be too hard to find?" Edyn queried. So many people were looking for ways to earn money.

"Yes, but I'm quite picky," Marian explained. "You will also tend to me whenever I am called to the castle, which means I have to spend a lot of time with you. I want someone who I will not tire of. You seem quite different; I'm keen to get to know you better."

It was Edyn's turn to become suspicious. "Excuse me for asking, but you got that from the few moments we've been talking?"

To her surprise Marian laughed. "Of course not. I heard last night that there was a brawl at the Trip Inn. The owner was injured and one of his 'girls' ran off from fear of his advances. Am I correct to think that was you?" Edyn looked down and picked at a loose thread on her sleeve. "Don't be ashamed of yourself," Marian continued. "I think it was quite courageous. Most would simply succumb to his demands."

"How badly did I hurt him?"

"He will be fine. But since the event will still be fresh in everyone's mind I suggest we leave before too many people wake," Marian suggested helping Edyn to her feet.

Her horse was quickly saddled and before they headed into the town Lady Marian removed her cloak and handed it to Edyn. "You'll need to cover up," she said, pointing to the bloodstains. Edyn gladly accepted the cloak, though it felt odd for her to be wearing something so valuable, so beautiful, and so soft! _The pleasures of being noble_, she thought to herself while running her hands along the fine material.

Meanwhile, Marian stood to the side smiling at the young woman. What this girl didn't know was that after Marian had left her in the stable that night she had ducked back into the town and hidden in the dark alley beside the Trip Inn waiting for the customers to retire to their homes. It appeared most had already left but a few had stayed behind to help the owner. She quickly heard enough from their conversations to guess what had happened. She had then spent the rest of the night returning home, changing her attire and getting a fresh horse before returning to Nottingham in the early morning to put on her little act. Her original plan was to send the girl to Kirklees's Abby if she had nowhere else to go, but after listening to her she changed her mind. Strange, how the girl was not pleading for sympathy, she had even asked after the man who had frightened her so much. Marian was indeed fascinated to learn more about this girl.

**A:N/ **_**I had this idea since I first started writing this ages ago (it took me a while to get the courage to post the first chapter), I hope it seems believable. It took me ages to think of a perfect scenario, something like this is not just going to happen; something is bound to motivate the person so hopefully I came up with something believable. Can't go wrong with jealousy, eh? Originally I was going to have Will and Allan find her but then I thought, corny much? When hasn't that happened before? **_

_**Song Inspiration**__**: **_**We Are Broken by Paramore**_**- I listened to nothing else the whole time I was typing. If you haven't listened to it before I recommend you go onto youtube or itunes and have a listen. It's one of my favourite songs of theirs, so sad and meaningful, and relevant to this chapter. Plus it's written in first person, which makes it so much more real. Truly amazing!**_

_**Thankyou Sarah0406, Musicunderground and Iloveskitteryandmush. You guys made my day! As always, I love receiving reviews, not only to motivate me but I love to hear from you, let me know where I need to improve! Is she too Mary Sue-ish in this chapter? I know she was the typical damsel in distress, but it seemed appropriate, if that made any sense…?**_


	6. Chapter 6

Edyn still felt as if she were dreaming as she made her way to Knighton with Lady Marian. These sorts of things don't just happen, and people were certainly not this kind; for Marian now walked beside her instead of riding astride her horse which she now lead. Strange, as she remained that way the entire trip which would certainly be several miles.

Upon arriving at Knighton Hall, Marian handed the reins of her grey horse to a stable boy and lead Edyn into the grand house. Inside she had the opportunity to bathe and change into fresh clothes; she was relieved to find the dress she was given was much more modest than the one she had been wearing previously. Feeling clean and much happier she was brought down to the kitchen where the cook placed a plate of food before her. She hesitated. The plate was piled with fresh bread and fruit as well as a slab of cold beef. This was too good for her. Janet the cook, laughed. "It's fine, eat. Our mistress will want to know that you are fed. There's no rancid food here, so you'll have to make do with what's fresh," she said smiling. Edyn happily returned the smile.

While she ate, Janet quickly gave her some pointers of how to act and speak amongst her new master's and their guests. "Make sure you wait for them to speak first, unless of course you are offering them a drink or something, and always address them as 'sir,' or 'my lord or lady.' And never make eye contact with them; we're nothing to them but servants. Now, with most nobles they will only expect you to bend your knees slightly, or maybe bow your head, no need for over the top curtsying with them. But with the Sheriff, that is a different matter. Nothing too fancy, just make a bit more of an effort, and always make sure your upper body stays upright. You have no idea how foolish people look when they mix both a bow and curtsy together, I'll tell you," she muttered shaking her head.

The door then suddenly opened and Sir Edward, the former Sheriff, walked in followed by his daughter. Janet straightened up from the bench she was casually leaning against and bowed her head. "Stand up!" she hissed under her breath at Edyn who clumsily jumped to her feet and ducked her head.

"This is Edyn," Marian introduced. "I thought she would make a good replacement of Sarah. Once she's learned her jobs I'm sure she'll be just as good." Sir Edward didn't reply, simply nodded his head, mumbled something to himself and exited.

Marian turned to her and stifled a laugh. "You can sit down now." Edyn blushed and took a seat. "How are you settling in?" she continued.

"Very well, thank–"

"Marian!" Edward's voice called from the main room.

She smiled at Edyn before she went to her father. "Oh, Sir Guy," Edyn heard her say once she left the room. "What brings you here?"

She didn't hear any more of the conversation as Janet quickly bounded to the other side of the kitchen and began pouring wine into a goblet. "Here," she called to Edyn. "You're first task. Go and offer Sir Guy a drink." Edyn felt like laughing, serving drinks was one of her few talents, though this was under very different circumstances.

Slowly making her way into the other room she suddenly became nervous. This was the Sheriff's right hand man, his lieutenant and one of the most powerful men in Nottinghamshire. As she approached he coolly glanced at her putting his conversation on hold. "Can I offer you a drink, Sir Guy?"

Lazily, he reached up and took the goblet from the tray. She nodded her head and moved to stand beside Marian unsure if they required anything else. He opened his mouth to continue when he stopped himself and looked at Edyn narrowing his eyes. "You can leave now," he said curtly.

"Oh." She blushed and bent her knees slightly before moving back towards the kitchen; she could see Janet's head peering around the door.

Once inside Janet tried to comfort her. "That's okay, it could have a lot worse."

"I've never dealt with nobles before," Edyn explained. "I don't know where I stand in situations like that."

"Well, when in doubt, return to the kitchen unless instructed otherwise," Janet replied.

Edyn liked this woman, even with her eccentric appearance. She was a short, plump woman, with bright rosy cheeks, a somewhat oily complexion and extremely frizzy mousy brown hair, which looked as if it hadn't been washed or brushed for months. But she had a good heart. Edyn soon learned that the stableboy, Adam, was her son and they were the only servants at this house. They had been talking for so long that they didn't hear Sir Guy leave; in fact, they were unaware of anything else happening in the house until they heard raised voices between Marian and her father. Edyn stood up and began to clear the plates and cutlery she had used slightly embarrassed, while Janet shuffled closer to the door. She was a nosy person it seemed. "I like to keep up on my gossip," she whispered.

Edyn did not see herself as a prying person but when she heard what came out of Marian's mouth she paused from her work to listen.

"You fear for your own neck, that is the truth." They were such strong words for a woman.

But her father did not falter from her boldness and replied, "If you cannot obey me, if you–"

"I cannot obey you!" Marian cut him off.

There was a slight pause before Sir Edward spoke. "Then you will leave this house."

Silence dragged on for what seemed like an age. Both Janet and Edyn looked at each other nervously. They then heard movement of someone heading upstairs. "Edyn!" Marian's voice called.

She shrugged her shoulders at Janet and entered the room to see Marian's figure disappear upstairs while her father stood rooted to the spot. Once upstairs in Marian's bedchamber, she began to rant to Edyn who simply nodded her head, confused at what had caused this outburst.

"I mean, how dare he try and control my life. I'm not a child anymore! What does it matter what I get up to. I know I sometimes go too far, my hair is proof of that, but I don't need him to remind me." She paced back and forth while she spoke. "Maybe I should go to the castle. Guy mentioned there was an abbess there. Maybe I could petition her?" Edyn got the feeling she was no longer being spoken to. After a few more moments of her muttering she turned and faced Edyn. "I need to go to the castle. Will you come to Nottingham? I understand if you are a little nervous and would rather stay behind."

Edyn shook her head. "No, I'll accompany you. If I avoid it now then I'll always be fearful of going there."

Marian then showed Edyn how to help her get ready for the castle. "It's not a formal occasion so there is little to be done. My hair is rather too short for anything to be done with it," she explained. She then called for the stable boy to ready two horses for them. "I assume you can ride?"

"Yes, a little. I learned when I was younger but since being in Nottingham I haven't had the opportunity," Edyn said.

"I'm sure it will come back to you quickly," Marian replied.

Once they were ready they headed outside to find the young stableboy holding the reins of Marian's grey horse and Edyn's mount. She had to hold back from a giggle for her horse was a bright blood bay colour; its mane and tail were jet black along with its legs and muzzle, whereas its coat was a deep red colour, similar to her own auburn hair.

"I thought you might notice the coincidence," Marian said observing Edyn's smile.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who stands out in Nottingham," she joked leaning forward to stroke its soft muzzle.

Marian had been right, it didn't take Edyn long to become comfortable with riding, quickly finding her balance and picking up the rhythm of the horses' gait. He was a good mount, smooth transitions and responsive to the slightest command, though a little flighty, jumping at any sound or shadow keeping Edyn alert to her surroundings. She soon remembered why she had enjoyed riding so much when she was younger.

As they approached the town of Nottingham she noticed Marian look down glumly at the homeless whom were all pleading for help. Her eyes never left them as she scanned each one gathered. Then she hesitated slightly. Edyn followed her eye line and noticed several familiar faces. Robin sat crouched surrounded by some of his men gesturing towards the guards that denied them access into the town.

"Edyn, continue on. I'll meet you inside," Marian said not taking her eyes from Robin.

"Yes, my lady."

Once inside the gates she glanced over her shoulder curiously. Why on earth would Marian be helping Robin? Surely she would be the last person to have anything to do with him. But Marian did not seem at all bothered by Robin, in fact, she dismounted from her horse and took some coins from her purse. Immediately the homeless crowded round her begging, grabbing at her and pulling at her clothes. She then cried out for help and the two guards by the gate ran to her aid. While their attention was diverted Robin and his men took the opportunity to sneak into the town rushing passed Edyn without noticing her. She didn't like to admit it to herself but she felt her spirits sink slightly when she saw that Will was not among them.

By now, Marian had entered the town and approached Edyn while fixing her messed hair. "Probably best if you don't mention that to anyone," she said in a low voice. Edyn simply nodded her head. The more time she spent with this woman, the more she liked her.

Marian then led the way towards the castle and neither of them was surprised to find Robin waiting for them, hidden behind a market stall. Marian requested a moment of Robin's time and handed her reins to Edyn. "I'll only be a moment," she said. Then she left, leaving Edyn with Allan, John and Much, all of who had the same questioning look on their faces.

She gave them all a meek smile. "Hello."

Allan laughed. "Well, aren't you full of surprises?" Edyn looked down at her feet. "You suddenly being alongside Marian wouldn't have anything to do with the Trip Inn being closed today, would it?" Again she didn't reply. "I thought so."

"Allan, leave it!" John suddenly spoke up. Actually, it was the first time she had heard John speak before, and she gave him a grateful smile. Allan simply shrugged his shoulders and lapsed into silence. Edyn wanted to ask them about Marian but thought it best to ask her later; besides, she didn't know how truthful Allan would be with his answers.

She continued to watch him as he dragged his feet around, bored of waiting for Robin before he glanced at the horses Edyn held. He smirked and commented, "I'm not being funny, but why do women have to choose a horse that will match their hair?"

Edyn couldn't stop herself from smiling. "You're not going to believe that it's purely a coincidence are you?"

"Well, if both you and the horse had normal brown hair then I would, but come on… you're hair isn't exactly normal is it?" Edyn attempted to scowl at him but failed giving in to laughing instead.

"C'mon, lads," Robin called abruptly. Marian appeared behind him looking slightly annoyed. Edyn then decided this was not the time to ask questions.

Once they left the horses at the castle stable Marian dug into her purse and retrieved the few pennies she had left and handed them to Edyn with a list of items she needed. It was strange to think that she had slept here only the night beforehand. "I may be a while in the castle so I'll meet you back here, no need for you to have to wait in the gloomy corridors. Ask one of the stableboys to have the horses ready."

Edyn was a little relieved not having to enter the castle. Today had been a long day and she would have found that much too overwhelming. She happily strolled passed the stalls in the market looking at each of the items. She was not used to this kind of freedom and thought she better enjoy it while she could. She did not expect a hand to roughly grab her shoulder and slam her against a nearby wall. A very angry Gloria towered over her.

"How dare you!" she spat at her. "How dare you do that to him?"

"Gloria, please. I didn't mean to. I was frightened and he wouldn't let go of me," Edyn tried to defend herself.

"He was only claiming his rights. That's what you agree to when you accept the job!"

"That was never mentioned to me, I would never have agreed!" Edyn suddenly had a burst of confidence.

Gloria shook her head. "You really are that naïve? Of course it's not mentioned, but it was implied, right from the beginning. Let me guess, you just thought if you forgot about it then it would never happen? That it would simply go away? Wake up! The world doesn't work that way!"

"Gloria, I- I'm sorry! Truly. I wish it never happened," Edyn said softly.

Gloria didn't reply. She had obviously said all that she needed to. "Just- just don't ever show your face at the Trip again, understand? We're much better off without you."

Edyn nodded her head numbly; she didn't need to be told. She watched in silence as Gloria left her and she remained where she was. She was so confused. Had she done the right thing? She was aware that he may call on her, and she did try and ignore it, hoping it would never happen. But she had said no. Did that really count as an excuse?

With a heavy heart she bought the remaining items Marian had requested and headed back to the horses. When Marian approached her later she looked just as miserable as Edyn felt. She knew her happiness would only be temporary but she had hoped it would have hung around for a little bit longer.

They rode back in silence. Edyn occasionally peeked across to Marian. She had mentioned she was leaving with the abbess later that night. She had reassured Edyn that she would still have a job at Knighton Hall, but it didn't seem to make the situation any better.

"My lady, may I ask you something?" Edyn broke the silence.

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

She hesitated unsure of how to word it. "You may tell me to mind my own business if you wish, but I was wondering… You seemed pretty friendly with Robin Hood earlier. I wouldn't have thought you would keep company with an outlaw."

She was expecting to get roused at but was surprised with Marian's comment. "You don't seem worried about him at all. Most fear to be near him." She had somehow turned the conversation on Edyn. "Have you had dealings with him?"

"I err, I have spoken with him a few times," Edyn replied. "I believe in his cause. The people of Nottingham need help. I think it's wrong that he's lost everything for standing up for them."

Marian turned and smiled at her before her expression became serious. "Strong words. If the wrong person were to hear you say that you would face imprisonment. You trust me, Edyn. And I feel as if I can trust you. I am I right to think that?"

"Of course, my lady. I am in your debt after all."

"In that case, I may have had some dealings with him myself. He is a good man." Edyn smiled at her suspiciously; she got the idea she wasn't quite telling her everything, but let it pass.

Back at Knighton Hall they both packed Marian's bags in silence. She noticed Marian was quite reluctant with each item she packed as is this was not what she wanted for herself. While she moved passed the window, Edyn noticed Sir Guy approach on his horse. She looked over her shoulder at her mistress and wondered if she should announce his arrival or not. Sir Edward then stepped outside to talk with Sir Guy. They were too far away for Edyn to hear but only a few moments later Sir Guy had mounted his horse and left.

"You can put them on my horse now, Edyn," Marian said indicated towards her bulging saddlebags.

Marian followed Edyn downstairs to where her father was waiting for her. He politely asked for Edyn to excuse them and she ducked into the kitchen. Janet had left for her home with her son by then as she lived in town so Edyn busied herself with odd cleaning jobs around the kitchen. Marian discussed with her later of her father giving in to her demands, not bearing the thought of her leaving him.

That night as she lay by herself in the small servants quarters she felt relieved for the first time in a while. Finally things were looking up for her. She rolled over in the comfort of an actual bed and fell into a much-needed sleep.

**A:N/ **_**I hate this! I'm really sorry if you were all expecting something great after my last chapter but I just couldn't get this to sound right. Just a filler chapter I guess. Hopefully my next chapter won't be such a disappointment! *crosses fingers!* She's going to stray from Marian a bit more so it's a story about her, rather than just copying Marian's story. At least now I have a link between her and the gang. **_

_**Oh, this is really random I know, but has anyone noticed that Joe Armstrong (Allan) has plucked eyebrows! I was watching episodes 6 and 7 from the first series and his eyebrows are definitely shaped, they're better than mine! I had such a lol moment hahaha.**_

_**Thankyou far all the lovely reviews I've received! Hope to hear from you. Any constructive criticism is welcome – this chapter was so dodgy so I need to know where I should improve so I don't make the same mistakes again. **_


	7. Chapter 7

Time was passing by so quickly Edyn could barely believe a month had nearly passed since she had first moved into Knighton Hall. She had quickly learned what was required and felt she was working up to the standards that were expected of her.

For the first time since she had left Locksley she did not feel homesick. Though she did think of her brother often, and each time it left her holding back tears. Since she had left the day Robin had returned she had only had one opportunity to duck back to her old home, though she only had a few minutes to spare they barely had time to catch up. She was trying to build up her confidence and ask Marian to allow her time off to visit him. She didn't think Marian would refuse her but it was always the fear of not knowing what the other person was thinking.

When Marian had been summoned to the castle by Sir Guy one morning she had figured this would be the ideal moment, but before she even had time to consider asking Sir Edward had left her a list of chores that were required. She desperately tried to hide her disappointment as she helped Marian choose a dress to wear for the occasion.

"Nothing too flattering, Edyn," Marian said to her. "I do not want him to get the wrong idea."

"Do you know what this is may be about, my lady?"

Marian shook her head. "I can only imagine it may be another gift. He's helping to collect taxes so he's a bit strained to find the time to visit at the moment."

"I did notice I'm not answering the door as often," Edyn giggled. Sir Guy presence was becoming a nuisance, and Edyn got the feeling she was not the only one who dreaded his unexpected visits.

Marian surveyed her. "You seem down, Edyn. Is anything the matter?"

"No, nothing, my lady," Edyn said while shaking her head. She caught a glimpse of a carriage approaching from the window. "Sir Guy's carriage has just arrived for you."

"Just as well, I think I'm ready. Best to get this over with," Marian said. She had donned a very simply gown and only allowed Edyn to sweep her fringe from her face, the rest of her hair remained loose and untouched. Overall, very simple.

Edyn walked Marian down to the carriage and her father was already waiting for her inside. "We shouldn't be too long, Edyn."

The morning was slow and she didn't hear the carriage return until the afternoon when she was sitting in the kitchen helping Janet prepare the evening dinner. Leaping to her feet she rushed to open the door for them. Once inside Marian showed Edyn the necklace Sir Guy had given her.

"It's beautiful," Edyn gushed, slightly jealous that she did not have anyone to shower her with gifts. She lent closer for a better look and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Something wrong?" Marian asked.

Edyn hesitated. "Silly, but it looks familiar. A girl I used to know in Locksley; her mother had a necklace very similar to that one."

"Do you think it's the same?" Marian questioned.

"I very much doubt it," Edyn replied shaking her head.

"Well, in that case, I'm going to change. It was an interesting morning and I would like to clear my head with a ride through the forest," Marian declared.

"Careful you don't run into any outlaws," Edyn giggled.

Marian smiled. "That would be just my luck."

Edyn opened her mouth trying to pluck up the courage to ask about visiting Locksley when Marian called over her shoulder. "Can you ask Adam to have my horse saddled and ready, Edyn?"

"Of course, my lady," she replied slightly deflated.

The afternoon dragged into evening and Marian returned with a slightly annoyed expression upon her beautiful face. Edyn gave her a few moments before she headed up to her bedchamber to see if she needed anything. She had barely reached the door before Marian started her ranting.

"How could he? The poor girl, he stole it from her! It was a gift from her mother, and to have to hear about it from Robin Hood of all people. He always has to gloat about it too. Why must he have to get so annoyed over the gifts I receive from Guy, I am not his, not anymore!"

"My lady?" Edyn asked.

"Sorry, Edyn. I'm just so irritated," Marian said. "You were right about the necklace; it does belong to a Locksley girl." She then explained how she had seen Robin and her giving him the necklace to give back to the girl. "Arrogant fool!" she fumed. Edyn didn't know if that insult was meant for Robin or Sir Guy but thought it best not to ask.

The morning that followed Edyn had been working in the kitchen preparing the morning meal before Janet arrived when she heard several sets of footsteps running quietly through the main room. She was just moving towards the door hesitantly when it suddenly burst open knocking her to the ground. A strange man with his face half covered by a scarf towered over her, scanned the room briefly then hurried out again.

"Hey!" she cried.

As she scrambled to her feet she could hear Sir Edwards voice yell, "What do you think you're doing? Get out of my house!"

Pushing the door open she could see three masked men including the one who had knocked her to the ground all rushing to the door leading outside. One of them carried a sack full of what Edyn assumed were valuables, which he suddenly dropped at the sight of Sir Edward chasing after them brandishing a sword. "Get out!" he growled at them.

"My lady?" Edyn yelled up the stairs.

Outside Sir Edward had started a combat between one of them. "My lady!" she tried again louder, but still Marian did not emerge from her room. Edyn took a step towards the stairs but noticed Sir Edward thrown roughly to the ground after taking a severe blow to his brow. She abandoned her attempts to wake her mistress and ran to Edward's aid, helping him back to his feet. She did not expect what happened next.

The Nightwatchman appeared from nowhere swinging his sword high above his head challenging the three intruders. Edyn watched in awe as he easily competed with these men, using his small size to his advantaged easily dodging their blows and regaining himself quicker than themselves. Oddly though, he did not attempt to kill them, merely just to get them to the ground. But he was still at a disadvantage, for there was only one of him and three of the intruders, he would knock one down and move to the next but by the time he had the last one to the ground the first one was back on his feet raring to go again.

Just when she thought the Nightwatchman was tiring she heard another voice yell, "STOP!" This day couldn't become anymore eventful as Robin, Allan and Much came galloping towards the scene. Even at a distance Edyn could see that Robin was livid. "What is going on?" he demanded as he reined in his horse and leapt to the ground in one fluid motion.

The man, who was currently in combat with the Nightwatchman, relaxed his stance and pulled down his scarf as he thanked Robin; Edyn held back a gasp when she thought she heard something about them being Robin Hood's men. Surely Robin wouldn't encourage this sort of behaviour. Allan was off his horse soon after Robin and began growling at the man while continuously slapping him around the head angrily.

"These are your men?" Sir Edward asked shocked.

"Not for much longer," Robin reassured him.

The rest of the conversation was lost to Edyn as surprisingly the Nightwatchman had moved towards where she and Edward were standing and protectively put a hand on Edward's shoulder. _What on earth?_ Stranger still that Sir Edward did not question this contact; he even leant closer to him. Something wasn't right.

After more yelling, more head slapping and a very reluctant apology Allan had left with the intruders and the Nightwatchman pulled Robin behind the house towards the stables, leaving Sir Edward, Edyn and Much waiting for his master. Something definitely wasn't right and Edyn was curious to know. She made a move after them when she felt Sir Edward's hand catch her by the elbow. "I think it best if you left it, Edyn."

"But–"

"Come inside!"

Edyn gave in with a sigh. She didn't want to do anything that may compromise her position in this grand house. "Yes, my lord."

Inside, Edyn sat Sir Edward down and was dabbing a damp cloth to the small wound on his hairline. It wasn't deep but it was obvious it would have been painful, if not the fall definitely would have been. "Thank you, Edyn."

The door then opened and Marian walked in from outside causing Edyn to drop the damp cloth she had been holding, for Marian was dressed as the Nightwatchman carrying a mask in her hand while pulling a scarf from around her neck. She completely ignored Edyn's wide eyed expression and moved to her father's side to have a closer look at his forehead. "Edyn, can you pass me that water bowl?" she asked.

Marian's voice woke her from her trance and she struggled to get the words out of her mouth. "Y-you…you're the Nightwatchman?"

Marian turned to stare at her suddenly realising Edyn's very brief knowledge of the subject. "Oh, Edyn, I'm sorry, I completely forgot. I… err, could you go upstairs and get a clean dress ready for me to change into? I'll be up in a moment to explain everything."

"But, you–"

"Please?" her voice was firm but still reassuring.

Once Marian joined her she had sat Edyn down and explained everything. How she had first started this masquerade, when she had been identified by Robin, how she found her in Nottingham, her original plans to send her to Kirklees, and how no one else knew of her with the exception of her father and Robin's gang. "Please, Edyn, you cannot tell anyone. My life would be at risk if you do."

"Of course I wouldn't. I just– I didn't expect it at all. How have you been able to keep this a secret?"

"I always wait for you to fall asleep. I didn't tell you because I was worried how you would react, not that I didn't trust you."

"I'm sorry, I don't really know what to say to this sort of thing," Edyn confessed.

Marian smiled. "No one ever does. I haven't frightened you though?"

"No, of course not," Edyn replied. "So… it was you that found me? In Nottingham, I mean."

Marian nodded her head. "I was so shocked by you. When I first found you looked so tiny and fragile, covered in blood and shaking uncontrollably, yet in the morning you had this strong personality, like you were determined you had to put on a brave face. I was expecting to find you curled into a ball weeping."

Edyn let out a small laugh. "No, crying is not really me."

Marian gave her a sidelong glance. "Are you trying to tell me you don't?"

"Well, in a way. I mean, I'll let a tear escape every now and again, as a few did that night at the Trip Inn, but never a proper let-all-your-emotions-out outburst."

"I don't understand. Did something happen to you that makes you feel that you can't anymore?" Marian asked confused.

Edyn toyed with the pendant around her neck nervously. "Umm…"

Marian studied her. She had noticed right from the beginning this girl did not like to give anything away about her childhood but this just seemed odd. "What happened?"

Edyn sighed. "Nothing really, it's silly." She paused but Marian remained silent waiting for an explanation. Edyn took a deep breath before she spoke. "I never really cried over my mother's death. It… The realisation of it didn't hit me until we had first moved to Nottinghamshire, when I realised my whole life was changing, but by then several weeks had already passed, it seemed wrong to be crying so late after her death so I forced myself to hold it all in, and since then nothing has seemed quite as upsetting as that moment," Edyn explained, again her hand moved to touch her necklace, the only possession she had of her mothers.

"I don't know if I should complement you on that or not. You have amazing willpower, I'll give you that, but you shouldn't feel that just because time had passed you couldn't grieve. I still grieve over my mother's death to this day," Marian said.

"I do not want compliments; I'm so ashamed about it. But I can't change it, what's happened has happened, no one can change that. Besides, I think part of it was I didn't want to look childish in front of my brother. He had to give up his remaining childhood to care for me, and I respect him so much for that, I wanted to prove that I was also grown up." She looked down at her lap at the thought of Henry.

"You miss your brother?" Marian asked, forgetting the rest of the conversation.

"Very much. I promised him I would visit regularly but I haven't."

"Why don't you?" Marian asked. "We are more than able to manage a morning if you want to visit him."

"Really?" Edyn asked.

"Of course. Go to him tomorrow if you wish," Marian told her.

"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much!" Edyn gushed.

The rest of the day seemed to drag now Edyn had something to look forward to, but eventually it did come to an end. When she woke the next morning she had rushed to have the morning meal ready so as soon as she had finished she would be able to leave for Locksley. She had already gone and woken Marian and she could hear Edward moving around in the main room. She was just bringing out his meal when there was a knock on the door. Edyn wanted to scream with frustration when she pulled open the door to find Sir Guy asking for Marian.

She would have to wait for him to leave before she could herself and had to reframe from fidgeting while he spoke with Marian. But then their conversation became much more interesting. Apparently, earlier that morning three of Robin's men had been captured trying to rob Lucky George for a second time. Sir Guy seemed quite amused by this information and Marian forced a smile on her face to please him.

After he left Marian turned to Edyn and spoke, "It would have to be the three that tried to rob us yesterday. Surely no one else in his gang would be that stupid."

"Well, I hope your right, my lady," Edyn responded before Marian ushered her out of the house insisting she take one of the horses. Edyn thanked her again and was soon on the dusty road to Locksley with a broad smile etched upon her face. Her stomach fluttered with excitement when she first spotted her old home. By now Henry would have already made the days bread and would be cleaning up his oasis of the kitchen.

She leapt from her horse and burst into the house while calling, "Henry? Hello?"

Dazed and confused, he suddenly appeared in front of her. Hair messed, apron askew, flour on his face and his eyes wide; exactly as she always found him. Before he even had a chance to speak she had thrown herself upon him. "Edyn? When- How… What happened to you? Last I heard you had done a runner from the Trip."

She pulled away from him feeling rejuvenated from being in the safety of her brothers arms. "Umm… it's kind of a long story."

"Well, do you have time to tell me? How long can you stay?" his voice became slightly worried.

She smiled. "I have all morning. My mistress insisted I stay as long as I need."

"Mistress? What?" He gave her a quizzical look.

She laughed. "I think I better start at the beginning."

The morning flew by quicker than Edyn thought possible. They sat together and she enjoyed the feeling of having him lean against her as she spoke, the sound of his laugh when she became animated trying to explain certain situations. She told him everything that had happened to her and enjoyed the comfort she received, even if it was late; she even enjoyed the taunts he gave out. She did not, however, tell him of her involvement with Robin Hood and how she had broken into the castle. She did not think Henry would approve of that. Henry did not have much to comment on. According to him his life had been very dull since she had left, with the exception of the tongue cutting incident.

"I was so scared," he said. "The poor man they grabbed was kneeling right next to me and for a moment I thought they were going to seize me. I swear I nearly wet myself."

Edyn giggled loudly. She had not laughed this much in months; it felt good. She glanced out the window and could see the sun was passed its highest point. "Oh, I have to go," she said with a heavy heart.

"You can't stay just a bit longer?" he begged.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to visit as often as I can," she reassured him.

"Who would have thought, my sister would be living in a house as grand as Knighton Hall," Henry muttered shaking his head.

"I'm working my way up in this world," she joked.

After a long hug, Edyn reluctantly tore herself away from her brother and mounted her horse to head back to Knighton. Just as she was about to turn onto the road to Knighton she noticed a tall figure emerge from the forest heading towards Nottingham. "Will?" she called.

She was amused as she watched him spin around quickly looking for where the voice had come from. She trotted towards him and dismounted. "What are you doing here?"

"Robin sent me to Nottingham," he said.

"Are you going to find out about the three that were arrested this morning?"

"Do you know something?"

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Henry was inside before she nodded. Will's eyes flickered to her old home and pulled her towards to outskirts of the forest understanding that she didn't want to be seen.

"I overheard Lady Marian talking with Sir Guy this morning. Apparently they are going to hang tomorrow at midday," she said. Will looked down at his feet and sighed. "The Sheriff is delighted that he has Robin's men, as is Sir Guy. They're telling everyone. I'm assuming to provoke Robin."

"They're not part of the gang," he said quietly.

"Sir Guy said they wore those tags you all have."

"They must have stolen them with everything else they took," he muttered to himself.

Edyn couldn't restrain herself from asking, "Why were they with you?"

"It's Allan's brother, he's trying to get him to change his ways," Will replied.

"Oh, no," Edyn said sadly. She couldn't imagine how Allan must be feeling.

Will nodded his head. "I should head back and let Robin know." They were about to depart when he called her back. "Edyn." It seemed silly, but she loved how he said her name. Most people pronounced it the same as it was in the Bible with an 'e' rather than a 'y,' Will however always pronounced it correctly and it constantly made her smile.

"Yes?"

"I, err… I heard about what happened… to you. I'm sorry." He sounded so sincere.

She gave him a small smile. "I'm just glad I got away from there."

He took a step closer and pointed at the small scar on her neck from the knife. "He's marked you."

"Not quite the way he wanted to." There was silence as neither of them knew what to say next. "I think I left a bigger mark on him though," she said trying to lighten the mood.

She noticed a smile touch the corners of his mouth. "I heard about that too."

They then departed and again Edyn could not wipe the smile from her face. Why did she always find herself smiling when she had been talking with him? He never said anything amusing, it was rather boring compared with conversations she had with others yet she always got excited whenever they did speak, as rare as it was.

The afternoon she spent with Marian in her bedchambers doing their embroidery. Though as a housemaid she was not supposed to join her mistress with such tasks but Marian insisted; Edyn assumed she simply wanted the company. She smirked as Marian worked. She had no real skill with sewing, her mind was much too busy and she continuously looked out the window as if she were expecting someone. "Will said that he would tell Robin?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, there would be no reason why he wouldn't," Edyn replied. _What a strange question to ask_. Marian had been acting like this since Edyn had told her of her encounter with Will.

They both heard a whistle from outside and Marian jumped to her feet to look out the window. "What do you want?" she asked with a small giggle.

"To talk," Edyn heard Robin's voice call. She didn't need to hear anymore. With a smile she exited Marian's bedchamber to give them privacy to talk.

Later, Marian had filled her in what was said. "I told him I would go to Nottingham and talk with Guy."

When she returned later that day the smile she had on her face was long gone. "I fear I have made a terrible mistake," she said to Edyn. "Guy set a trap to flush out the spy in the castle, he's sergeant is now being tortured but it was me who gave Robin the information about the silver." Edyn had no idea what she was talking about but listened to everything Marian had to say. "I will need to be more careful with the information I give Robin now. I would not want another tortured because of me. I feel awful!"

Edyn was happy to comfort her mistress and was then asked to accompany her to the hanging the next day. She had agreed but when they both rode into Nottingham the following day Edyn became slightly anxious. If something were to go wrong she didn't want to see anyone die. But she reminder herself that Robin would not let any harm come to them. He was Robin Hood after all.

It felt odd to be standing on the castle stairs with Marian and the other nobles; she should be standing with the other peasants surrounding the gallows. She watched in disgust as the Sheriff happily skipped out gleefully. He was absolutely shaking with excitement when he explained to every one of the hanging being brought forward. As he spoke three sheets were pulled from the bodies of the men that had been hidden from sight high upon the wall that surrounded the castle. There were cries and gasps from the crowd and Edyn brought a hand to her mouth to cover up her own yelp. This man was much crueller than what she had ever imagined. This was all just a plan to taunt Robin. She had no idea where he was hidden but she knew he would be there somewhere with his men, with Allan. It then occurred to her Allan would be somewhere staring with horror at his brothers limp body put on display for everyone to see.

Edyn was relieved when Marian grabbed her arm and led her from spectacle. "I can't bear to watch this anymore," she said. As they walked through the castle halls Robin and Much suddenly appeared in front of them dressed as guards. "Gisborne knows you gave me the necklace, he knows that you betrayed him. You are in grave danger," Robin stressed to her.

Marian stared at him with wide eyes. "No…"

"I will get it back for you. He'll be leaving for Knighton Hall now," Robin continued.

"My father!" Marian gasped.

"Marian, you cannot go home now, it is too dangerous!"

"He is weak–"

"I will go to him," Edyn spoke up.

Robin turned to her with a slightly relieved expression. "Thank you, Edyn. Go, hurry."

Edyn then dashed back to the stables and was relieved to find her horse still saddled. Checking the girth strap she swung upon its back to leave when she spotted Marian rushing to her own horse.

"My lady, no! Robin told you to stay here until he got you the necklace," Edyn said.

"Well, Robin Hood is a fool. I will not leave my father and you cannot stop me," Marian argued urging her horse to move.

Edyn had no choice but to follow her. Once outside the town gates Marian spurred her horse on, forcing it go as fast as it could. Edyn clung to her horse as she forced it to keep up. She hoped Robin would be close behind them with the necklace; she dreaded the thought of what Sir Guy might do to Marian.

Arriving at Knighton Hall, Marian leapt from her saddle and ordered Edyn to see to the horses.

"But–" she tried to argue.

"Just do it, Edyn!" Marian snapped.

Hurriedly she helped the stableboy unsaddled the horses but by the time she entered the house a heated argument had already broken out. "Don't waste my time!" Guy sneered through gritted teeth. Edyn didn't think she had even seen someone look as menacing as he did at that moment.

Marian timidly walked upstairs to her bedchamber. After just a moment Sir Guy went to take a step up the stairs. "I think you should wait down here, Sir Guy," Edyn said. The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them.

Sir Guy suddenly rounded on her, his stance just as intimidating as before and she gasped at his rapid movement. He pointed a finger just inches from her face and he growled, "Don't speak to me, servant! EVER!" Before anything else could be said he stormed up the stairs.

Both Edyn and Edward had no choice but to wait downstairs and listen to their raised voices. When it died down they both hoped she had somehow proved her innocence. But when they both came down the stairs they explained that Marian was to marry Sir Guy as it was the only way to protect her. Sir Guy apologised to Sir Edward and left, leaving behind a room full of unhappy faces.

The house was silent and depressing that night. Marian rarely called on Edyn at night as she liked to do most tasks herself, but that night Edyn had been asked upstairs and as she brushed Marian's short dark hair she heard her whisper softly, "How do I get myself in these situations, Edyn? The day the King returns it will be a joyful for everyone; except for me."

Edyn was silent; unsure of what Marian wanted hear. She set the brush down and reached for Marian's hand saying, "It will be a while before they make peace." She knew she should not touch Marian in any way, but it felt so appropriate and when she felt Marian squeeze her hand in return she knew she had done the right thing to comfort her.

**A:N/ **_**Phew, that was a struggle, such a complex storyline compared to some of the others. Plus I had no real idea of how I wanted to fit Edyn into this episode so I kind of made it up as I typed. I think it came out alright, after I edited it anyway; better than what I thought it would be if I'm honest. The Will/Edyn moment was not planned at all, but when I was re-watching the episode and noticed it was Will who tells them about the hanging I couldn't resist playing around with how he got that information XD Besides, a friend of mine was very confused on how you pronounce Edyn's name. I never thought about if I'm honest, sorry! Think, Garden of Eden.**_

_**Yes, some lines are stolen from the show; I take no credit for them! Please don't sue me! I have nothing but a broken laptop worth about $50. **_

_**Reviews put a smile on my face, even if its criticism, it will help me improve! As always, thank you to my lovely reviewers! Mwah! Xx **_


	8. Chapter 8

The kitchen where Edyn lounged was warm and cosy. Winter was gradually passing, as was time itself, Edyn idly thought to herself as she lay on her back on a bench seat as she listened to Janet prattle on about this and that, all of it unimportant but it amused her how excited Janet got with each bit of information she passed on. Edyn had soon learnt that Janet was one of those people that loved the sound of her own voice. But it didn't bother Edyn who chose to speak only when it was necessary.

When she heard the sound of a carriage approaching she hastily leapt to her feet. "They wouldn't be back yet, surely?" she said to Janet as she straightened her dress.

Janet looked just as surprised. "They've only been gone a few hours; I would have thought they'd be there till early in the afternoon."

"So did I," Edyn muttered and headed through the house to the door while tucking a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear. Appearance was everything, she soon learned after accepting a job at Knighton Hall.

Pulling open the door she greeted Marian and her father as they climbed from the carriage. "What a calamity!" Sir Edward huffed as he headed indoors. "Can you have some wine brought to me please, Edyn?"

"Yes, my lord," she replied closing the door after them.

Once Sir Edward was settled in front of the fire with a goblet full of wine Edyn headed upstairs to assist Marian, if she needed it. They had been to a formal occasion at Locksley Manor to celebrate the King's birthday. It was meant to take up a majority of the day yet it was still quite early in the morning and here they were home already.

Upstairs, Marian was pacing back and forth while trying to pull the many pins from her hair, clearly agitated. "Allow me," Edyn said moving towards her.

Marian succumbed to her frustration and sat in front of her mirror permitting Edyn's gentle hands to pull her hair from its restraints. "Robin showed up," she said without having to wait for Edyn to question her.

"He cut the party short, did he?"

"Yes, well… Guy's reaction to him did. He gave me a ring, in front of everyone, to announce our engagement. And then Robin showed up and took it, along with every other piece of jewellery that was there." Her voice sounded so distant, as if her mind were miles away trying to fully understand the situation.

"Are you upset or not by the loss of it?" Edyn asked.

"I hardly had time to become attached to it," Marian scoffed. "But of course, Guy had to make a show out of chasing after them. Who knows what's going on now, but the Sheriff has one of his men; the Saracen."

"Saracen?"

"Yes, they have a young Saracen boy in the gang now. Don't ask me how he came to be with Robin, but I hope they rescue him soon, we both know how ruthless the Sheriff is."

Silence then followed and Marian continued to muse over everything before she suddenly burst out with, "I just– I don't understand why they are always in competition with each other. I mean, I understand how Robin resents Guy for taking over his lands and title, but there's always so much more to it. It's almost like they have to outdo each other with gallantries. It's so frustrating being stuck in the middle of it."

"If I may say something, my lady?" Edyn asked.

"Of course, Edyn. I value you're opinion."

"Well… maybe you hate the rivalry between Robin and Sir Guy purely for the fact that you're being forced to love one, yet you are in love with the other." She had noticed over the last few weeks how differently Marian acted around Robin.

"Of course not! I no longer have feelings for Robin; he had his chance. A chance for a proper life, but he chose to leave. He chose war over me. How could I ever love him again?"

Edyn couldn't ignore how the tone in Marian's voice suddenly changed. "You don't feel anything towards him?"

"No, I…" she gave in with a sigh. "I don't know what I feel anymore. I was so determined to hate him when he first returned from the Holy Land, but the more I see him the harder it gets. But I cannot have feelings for him. I am to marry Guy, and if I even consider any other feelings I may have it will only make my marriage so much harder."

Edyn forced herself not to show sympathy on her face, it would only anger Marian. "Well I admire you for that. Many wouldn't be able to."

Marian smiled at her. Her lack of views gave her comfort in an odd way; she didn't feel pressured. "What about you, Edyn? Is there any boy you left behind at Locksley? Or Nottingham maybe?"

"Oh!" This had caught her off guard. "N-no. There's nobody," Edyn said laughing nervously. Her mind then suddenly flashed back to when she had last spoken to Will, the fluttering feeling in her stomach when he spoke her name, the smile she had glued on her face as she rode home. _Why am I thinking of Will?_ she thought to herself irritably.

Marian held back a laugh when she noticed Edyn's cheeks turn pink. "What's his name?"

Edyn shook her head. "Honestly, there's nobody." Marian simply nodded her head and let it pass, for the moment.

Later that afternoon while Marian busied herself in her bedchamber, Edyn was sweeping the floors when she heard a knock on the door. She groaned, assuming it was Sir Guy joyous from retrieving Marian's ring in the hope of receiving one of her smiles. However, when she pulled the door open it was not Sir Guy standing before her. Panting and looking wind swept, Much stared at her with wide eyes. "Is Marian here?" he asked.

"Yes, she is. Come in, quickly." She ushered Much inside and went to retrieve Marian.

"Much? What are you doing here?" Marian asked as she came down the stairs.

"It's Robin!" he puffed still trying to regain his breath. "He's bent on revenge against Gisborne. He thinks he tried to kill the King when we were in the Holy Land and refuses to accept that our main priority is to rescue Djaq from Nottingham. He won't listen to me, but I'm sure he'll listen to you. Please, will you talk to him?"

"Yes, of course. Edyn, the horses…"

Edyn didn't need to be told. She and the young stable boy Adam soon had both hers and Marian's horses saddled and ready by the time Marian and Much exited the house. The ride into the forest was silent and Edyn wondered why Marian had wanted her to come, but she must have had her reasons.

The camp where they arrived was perched on top off a hill and in the gully behind it they could see Sir Guy's unconscious figure laying ten feet from where Robin also lay, panting and struggling to sit upright. He glanced up at the three new arrivals and Marian gave him a disapproving stare while shaking her head. She then sat him down back at the camp and threw him a flask of water before her interrogating began. Robin sat sulking like a child as he listened to what she had to say.

Edyn and Much in the meantime struggled to drag Sir Guy's limp body up the hillside and tied him so he sat leaning against the trunk of a tree. Edyn felt quite guilty as they heaved him together; she wasn't exactly strong and poor Much had to do most of the work himself. By the time they had gotten to the top of the crest he was puffing almost as much as Robin had been when they first arrived.

"Much, should we maybe blindfold him? Imagine what he would say if he woke to see his future bride standing alongside Robin Hood."

Much nodded. "Good point," he said while gagging him as well. Once they were finished they had nothing to do but sit and wait in silence. Much, becoming agitated withdrew his sword and amused himself by stabbing the soil beneath his feet. Edyn began to feel sorry for this poor man. He did so much for his master, even she could see that, and he got nothing in return, but to be shunned for a pretty face.

After sitting for a while they both stood up at the sound of footsteps approaching. Will, Allan and John trudged up the hill dragging their feet. Much instantly started babbling about his reasons for untying Robin but Edyn could see in their faces none of them were interested. "Much," she warned.

He looked from her back to them before it clicked to him. "Where's Djaq?"

John sighed and shook his head. "We need Robin." He ignored any attempts for protests as Much opened his mouth to argue and headed straight to where Robin sat talking with Marian. Will and Allan followed him both nodding their heads to acknowledge Edyn. She ducked her head to try and hide how her cheeks flushed pink when Will's eyes locked with hers briefly as he passed.

She went to follow them and paused noticing how Much hung back. "C'mon, Much." Reaching the others Allan and Will had already begun bickering with Robin about Djaq's safety.

"Robin, wake up, it's Djaq!" Will snapped at Robin. She couldn't help but admire how much he cared for everyone in the gang, how much he stood up for them.

But Robin didn't seem to care at all. "You are just thinking of man, I am thinking of the King and the whole of England!" Edyn glanced over to where Guy's body was slumped against the rope that bound him to the tree. She knew he could be a cruel man, almost as cruel as the Sheriff at times, but she found it hard to believe he was guilty of treason.

"Djaq is not just one man," Will continued. "She's a woman."

This suddenly caught Edyn's attention. They had a woman in their camp? Marian seemed to share her confusion. "Jack? Is a woman? The Saracen?"

"Long story," Allan muttered.

Will, however, ignored all these comments and continued to argue his point. "Do you have any idea what they might do to her if the Sheriff realises?"

"Umm, I think I have a pretty good idea," Edyn spoke up. "It's not pleasant." She didn't know if the Sheriff and his men would result to the same measures as Joe did, but she wanted to make sure it would not happen to another person if she could help it.

"Yeah," Allan agreed gesturing a hand in Edyn direction. "We have proof here what some men will do to a woman."

"No!" Robin responded.

"The thing is, if we get captured, then we may all die," Much spoke trying to side with his master.

"True," Allan agreed. "But it's Djaq." Will standing next to him nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, what does that mean? 'True, but it's Djaq.' It's not even an answer!" Much responded.

Allan shifted from foot to foot nervously. "See, the thing is… I like her."

"I think I love her." Will's voice said the same moment Allan spoke.

The two men suddenly faced each other out of shock, and Edyn was relieved, as they could not see her reaction. The moment she had heard the words come from their mouths, from his mouth more importantly, she felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. The sheer shock of it was actually painful. All her hopes had been shattered in one second. It seemed cruel that she had only recently started to admit her feelings to herself and now it didn't matter. She then realised she was surrounded by many people and hastily closed her gaping mouth and focused her attention on the ground. Conversation started up again after the shock of the double confession had passed but Edyn ignored it all. She wanted to go home; she didn't want to be here anymore, near him. She simply wanted to do the cowardly thing and hide from the hurt. The horrible feeling of rejection she feared so much washed over her and she suddenly felt ill.

A plan to trade Sir Guy for Djaq was quickly organised, though Robin had to be knocked senseless for it to be played out. Marian and Edyn were to ride to Nottingham and notify the Sheriff of an ambush they were to pretend happened and of the trade the outlaws requested during this 'ambush.' From there it was up to the gang to get Djaq back.

The wind whistled passed Edyn's ears as she rode making her unable to concentrate on anything and she was glad. The moment they arrived at Nottingham the reminder of what she had heard before was glued back in her mind. What was this Djaq woman like? She must be something amazing to have both Allan and Will's attention.

Marian strode through the castle without an escort and went straight to the dungeon with Edyn trailing unhappily behind her. Down in the dark, eerie dungeons they found the Sheriff with his jailer discussing methods of torture for the Saracen 'boy.'

"My lord, Sheriff!" Marian spoke, feigning her distress and requesting an audience with him.

Reluctantly he nodded and gestured for her to follow him to the Great Hall. The moment he moved Edyn caught sight of his prisoner; Djaq. Edyn stood rooted to the ground as she studied this tiny woman. By first glance she looked like a twelve-year-old boy shaking with fear. Where was the attraction? Djaq then suddenly looked up at Edyn and their eyes met. She suddenly understood. She was beautiful. Big brown eyes framed by long lashes, perfect caramel coloured skin, full lips, dark hair and a small petite body that Edyn knew from her months working at the Trip drove men wild. Appearance wise she was perfect, with the exception of her short-cropped hair. But it wasn't just that. Although she had backed herself into a corner from fear, she had enough courage that she stood waiting for it. She was not weeping or begging for mercy; she was accepting of what was to happen to her. Edyn wondered how many would do that, bravely stand there and take it.

"Edyn! Come on." Marian's voice woke her from her daze and forced her eyes away from this strange woman.

She was required to wait outside in the corridor while Marian played her part giving Edyn time to think. It was wrong of her to resent this poor woman, as she had done nothing wrong. And Will, why should she feel rejected when he was completely unaware of her feelings; she herself was still confused by them. To him she was just an acquaintance, someone who once lived near him, nothing more. Neither of them had knowingly hurt her and she would force herself to be the stronger person she always wanted to be and ignore the hurt she felt.

The ride back to Knighton Hall was slow, all urgency gone. So far the plan had worked; the Sheriff had taken the bait. Marian glanced at Edyn who had not spoken since they left the outlaws camp. "It's Will, isn't it?"

Edyn slowly looked up at her. "What?"

"The man you wouldn't tell me about; who you have feelings for. I saw you're face after their confessions; you were more shocked than the rest of us. I'm assuming it was Will rather than Allan. You would have known him from Locksley. Am I right?"

Edyn looked down at her hands uncomfortably. "Yes, I've known him a while."

"Do you love him?" This came as a shock.

"What? No, of course not. I hardly understand what love is, I just– I was stunned, that's all. I didn't really know what feelings I had towards him but the moment he said that I suddenly realised how I felt… I don't have any claim over him and it's not like anything would ever happen between us. But, he's been the first man I've ever noticed, that way I mean." Edyn was stunned by her confession. She rarely spoke to others of her feelings, yet Marian always seemed to get it out of her.

"Sounds like we both want something we can't have," Marian muttered sadly.

For all the heartache they both seemed to be feeling it was a small comfort to know they had each other. Marian had made it clear that when she would marry Sir Guy she wanted Edyn to go with her, to have a familiar face nearby in strange new surroundings. Since Robin had left Locksley Manor it seemed like a completely different building. Somewhere Marian didn't want to go alone.

Weeks passed by with the usual dramas and more stories of Robin and his outlaws passed through all the villages. Djaq had been rescued without a hitch and Edyn sometimes spotted her amongst the gang the few times she saw them. Edyn was now oddly intrigued by her; wanting to know more about this exotic woman who seemed to have stolen the hearts of half the camp.

Meanwhile things were starting to get odd and Edyn found it difficult to keep up with all the news Marian would return home from the castle with. She thought she was dreaming when she heard something about Much being a lord! But it was true; it was all part of some scheme of Robin's to rescue an innocent man named Lambert that had intertwined with a scheme of the Sheriff's trying to gain knowledge of Robin. It became even more complicated when Marian got involved trying to convince Guy to sneak the man out of the castle while the Sheriff was busy with the council of nobles. With so much going on and with so many people involved Edyn was not at all surprised when one part fell apart. Marian returned from the council of nobles looking more distraught then Edyn had ever seen her. Without saying a word she had walked straight to the mantelpiece and removed her engagement ring.

"My lady?" Edyn said softly.

"He backed out; Guy. And now Lambert is dead, murdered during the night," Marian said, her voice slightly chocked up. "I want to see Robin. He should know what's happened."

"Of course," Edyn replied. She knew Marian didn't want to see Robin to give him information; she just wanted to be with him.

A little over an hour later they rode through the forest in silence until they heard a whistle. Looking up they could see Will lowering a bow and trudge down towards them. The rest of the gang had joined them by the time they dismounted. Allan moved forward and took Marian's horse. She looked up at Robin and said softly. "He's dead." His face softened. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed. Robin then gently brought his arms around her and stroked her hair while she wept.

Edyn moved away to give them privacy and glanced at the rest of the gang. Both Will and Djaq stood close together and she felt a lump rise in her throat; she had no handsome outlaw to comfort her when she was feeling low. When he looked at her he smiled slightly in greeting which only made her feel worse. Why did he have to be such a nice person?

Awkwardly she sat with them all around their campfire and she noticed Djaq was studying a ledger of some sort. Odd how Will continued to send her dark looks. It didn't take long before he stood up and snatched it from her small hands. "I'm burning it!"

The camp then erupted with the sound of outcries, which didn't die down until Robin and Marian approached. Edyn couldn't help but smile at the sight of the two of them holding hands. Another argument broke out about destroying something called black power and the book, which contained some sort of formula for this strange weapon. Edyn had no idea what was being discussed but still listened intently. Will was very upfront with his argument; he believed it was murder and worried about the safety of others if it fell into the wrong hands. Edyn felt a surge of admiration towards him. He was so caring and determined to help people, more so than the rest of the gang it seemed at times. She suddenly remembered why she had been so attracted to him in the first place. His good looks were obvious – anyone could see that – but his attitude and keen eye to see more than others made him stand out amongst the rest.

As she and Marian rode home later she had the same stupid smile plastered on her face again. This was going to be hard to get over, she knew it, but she had to. Otherwise the pain would simply become worse.

That night as Edyn got Marian's nightgown out for her, she heard her whisper quietly, "I'm still in love with him, Edyn. And I can't be. Why is life so cruel?"

"It's cruel because we people make it so," Edyn replied, she had been thinking the same thing ever since they left Sherwood Forest. "I've noticed the good suffer and the evil prosper. It's a shame we do not know how to change it." Over the last few months she had seen and felt many different things and feelings, but the worst by far was the feeling of heartache. Not only herself who barely understood it, but witnessing what Marian was going through. It wasn't fair. She was a good woman, everyone knew that, and to see her suffer was just as painful as experiencing it for herself.

**A:N/**_** Two episodes merged into one. There were only a few parts of these episodes that I wanted to go into. I bet most of you were expecting I'd ignore that little comment, tehe! Had to add to the drama, and I'm sure most of us have been in a similar situation, where someone your head over heels for admits they like someone else. I certainly have, all my mates are guys so I know the feeling.**_

_**I'm rushing heaps to get these chapters out of the way because I've had the most AMAZING idea and I'm determined to write everything in order without skipping ahead otherwise I won't have the motivation to do these other chapters. But I want to write the end few chapters so bad! Haha.**_

_**Reviews are the best thing in the world, keep them coming! Thank you to everyone that reviewed my last chapter, I love you! Mwah! Xx**_


	9. Chapter 9

Weeks passed and still Marian resented Sir Guy for allowing Lambert to be killed. She felt he could no longer be trusted and Guy seemed to take a step backwards away from her from fear of upsetting her further.

One morning however, he showed up to Knighton Hall and insisted on tying a blindfold over Marian's eyes. Edyn felt sick as she watched his hands linger on Marian's soft neck before he gently took her hand in his and led her outside. Being held by one of his men was the most stunning horse Edyn had ever seen. Apparently Marian felt the same way as she gasped, "He's beautiful!" She couldn't resist moving towards the great animal and stroke its muzzle and run her hand down its long mane. "But I cannot accept."

Guy grinned and insisted she at least take him for a ride. Marian gladly accepted and Sir Guy knew he had won her over. "You, get me some wine," he barked at Edyn.

Forcing herself to smile sweetly at him she bowed her head and headed inside. Oh, how she loathed this man.

Later in the day while she was doing her usual cleaning of the house, Edyn heard Robin's voice outside talking with Marian who hadn't left her amazing new gift. She quickly ducked into the kitchen before heading outside with a goblet of wine; she was more than happy to do this for Robin rather than Guy.

"Hello, Robin," she greeted him with a warm smile.

"Ah," he said returning the smile. "This is a woman who knows how to please a man," he said accepting the drink before winking cheekily at Marian. _If only_, Edyn thought to herself.

"Thank you, Edyn. You may leave," Marian said. With a bend of the knees she left, retreating to the kitchen.

After Robin had left Marian entered the kitchen with a grin on her face she usually wore whenever she had been with Robin. Edyn couldn't help but smile at her momentary happiness. "What did Robin have to say?"

"Oh, just this and that. Apparently there is a Saracen guest at the castle and Robin wants me to investigate, see what I can find out for him," Marian responded.

"Anything to please him, right my lady?" Edyn giggled.

"Edyn! You do shock me sometimes with your words," Marian said while cracking a smile.

Arriving home from the castle Marian did not look as cheerful as she had been before. "They've made it very difficult to have access to this stranger," she said. "Even Guy would not let me see him. I'm assuming it must have something to do with business, especially as Guy's being so generous; there must be big money involved."

"What kind of business?" Edyn questioned.

"I'm not sure. But you can bet it's nothing good. I'll ride out to talk Robin tomorrow, see what he thinks about it all," Marian responded.

The following day Edyn decided to remain at Knighton Hall while Marian rode to the forest. When she heard a horse approaching she knew instantly who it was and suddenly wished she had gone with Marian after all. "Good morning, Sir Guy," she greeted him while opening the door. "Can I get you some wine, or maybe something to eat?"

"No. Where is Marian?" he asked abruptly.

"She has gone for a ride. She's quite taken with the new gift you gave her," Edyn replied hoping this would soften his stern expression. It did not. He gave her a dark stare, clearing agitated with the idea of a servant trying to make small talk with him. "I err, I will tell her you stopped by."

"Have her come to the castle when she can," he drawled before he turned and left.

"Yes, my lord," she muttered irritably as he rode away.

The message was later passed on to Marian who simply brushed it off in order to tell Edyn of the conclusion she and Robin had come up with. They both agreed that the Saracen guest, Prince Malik, was not in Nottingham as a guest but in fact as a prisoner, set up as a ransom.

"Has Robin come up with a plan?" Edyn asked after Marian had explained everything.

"Not yet, but I'm sure he'll have an idea brewing, and that seems to be all he ever goes with," Marian replied with a roll of her eyes.

Edyn giggled. "And what of Sir Guy? Will you go to him?"

Marian sighed. "I suppose I must. Unless… You go to the castle and request he that he comes here. Tell him I did not want to leave my father." Edyn looked at her confused; she had never known Marian to be lazy. "If he declines then that will mean that the Sheriff is expecting the ransom shortly," Marian explained. "The Sheriff will need Guy there when they make the exchange."

"And then you can tell Robin when his ideal chance is to try and stop it reaching Nottingham?" Edyn asked catching on to Marian's plan.

"Exactly."

Several hours later Edyn rode into the castle courtyard. A guard approached her and held her horse as she dismounted. "Thank you. Could you tell me where I might find Sir Guy? I have a message for him from the Lady Marian."

"He's in the Sheriff's study, but they're quite busy. I suggest you wait outside in the corridor for him," he replied before leading her horse to the stables.

_Great_, she thought to herself. How long would she have to wait? As she got closer to her destination she thought she could hear a commotion. The closer she got the louder it became. Yelling, shrieking, swords clattering; her instincts screamed at her that there was danger. She stopped; this wasn't right. She was in view of the Sheriff's study but dared not to get any closer. When the door suddenly burst open she cowardly hid behind a pillar. The Sheriff stumbled out, coughing and spluttering. Hesitantly, she abandoned her hiding spot and moved to his side. "My lord!"

He roughly pushed her away. "Where are my GUARDS?" He made an attempt to walk towards the courtyard but suddenly a tall Saracen man stepped out in front of them; his sword held high. Instinctively, the Sheriff grabbed Edyn and hid behind her, using her body as a shield so she stood between him and the sword threatening to take his life. She didn't know what to do; she was defenceless and cornered. "Take the Prince, you can have him for free," the Sheriff babbled nervously. "Here, have the girl, a peace offering!"

"Do not try to bribe us. We did not come here to rescue the Price; we came to bury him! Along with all talk of peace!" He then swung his sword high above his head. The Sheriff whimpered and Edyn screamed squeezing her eyes tightly shut waiting for the deadly blow. She had done nothing but be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now she was going to die!

There was then a whooshing sound followed by a sickening squelch. Opening her eyes Edyn could see an arrow protruding from the Saracens chest. He gasped staring at it with horror before his body crumpled to the ground at her feet. "Oh!" she breathed as Robin and his men approached. The Sheriff remained cowering behind her but Robin reached behind Edyn and roughly grabbed him and held his sword to his throat.

"You alright?" Will asked Edyn who simply nodded her head. This was all just too bizarre! Where did they come from?

Robin quickly organised his men and as usual Edyn had no idea what was being discussed. "Will, take Edyn and get the horses to the East gate," she heard Robin say.

"C'mon," Will said to her as he hurriedly headed down the corridor indicating for her to follow. Wide-eyed and still confused she numbly trailed after him. They both then heard a strange vocal sound, sort of a cross between a whoop and a shriek. Will hurriedly seized Edyn's arm and pulled her behind a pillar similar to where she had hidden before, pressing her as close to the wall as possible and using his body to protect her if they were spotted. She watched in horror as four strange women ran passed all dressed in blue and all wielding swords in each hand. Luckily their focus was on their destination and did not see both Will and Edyn huddled behind the wall column.

They both stood frozen until they could no longer hear their terrifying screams. Edyn let out a breath and slowly turned her head to face Will. Her eyes focused on the lower part of his neck, which was at her eye level and she gradually allowed her eyes to move up to his youthful face. She sometimes forgot how young he was, younger than her in fact by a few months. His face was turned away from her focusing on the corridor with his body still pressed against hers. When he was sure the women were well and truly gone he looked down at her they stared at each other for a moment before he suddenly leapt away from her, as if he suddenly realised how close they stood together, faces only inches apart, how inappropriate it was. "Sorry," he muttered almost inaudible.

Edyn shook her head. "Its fine," she said almost as quietly hoping he didn't notice her cheeks flush pink.

They both snuck down to the stables in silence. "Are you alright by yourself?" he asked as she retrieved her horse.

She nodded her head. "Of course. Go, Robin will need you to have the horses waiting for him."

He nodded his head before he left, leaving Edyn feeling isolated once more. She knew she had to get out of there and back to Knighton Hall but all she could think about was the sensation of him being pressed against her, the excitement of feeling his chest rise and fall against hers, the comfort of knowing he would pull her away from danger. And his scent, she couldn't help but notice he had a specific smell. Most of the outlaws smelt quite potent due to the lack of proper bathing facilities, but Will smelt different. A musky sort of smell mixed with sweat and the smell of wood shavings. Strange how just the memory of all of this made her stomach flip with excitement. Even stranger how she enjoyed the closeness, she usually hated being touched by anyone. Friends and family would embrace her but only momentarily; she noticed it was always her that pulled away. Yet with Will it felt different, exciting almost. _So much for getting over my feelings, _her mind growled at her.

News had reached Knighton Hall that Robin and his gang had survived the Saracen attack. The only casualties' being the Saracen's themselves and many of the Sheriff's guards. In the weeks that followed the Sheriff, livid that he did not receive his ransom money, ordered a new tax along with the King's levy. Many were suffering and when Edyn heard they were to collect from Locksley she had begged Marian to allow her to go to her brother. She wanted to be sure that he was not one of the many that now faced starvation.

Upon arriving at Locksley she was horrified by the spectacle. Sir Guy, as usual, sat astride his dark horse smiling smugly as his men threw the villager's around, as they were rag dolls. And not just men, woman were being pushed to the ground, children being torn from their mother's, the elderly knocked to their knees struggling to regain themselves. Those who could not pay were being taken to Nottingham to be placed in the Sheriff's dungeon. Edyn didn't think it was possible to hate someone as much as she hated Sir Guy right at that moment.

Pushing the door open to her old home she found Henry scurrying around pulling objects from their shelves and draws; valuable objects. "Henry, what are you doing?" she demanded.

He turned to stare at her with wide eyes. "Edyn! W-what… How? You can't be here! Sir Guy is on a rampage, it's not safe."

She ignored him. "You should be hiding them! If Sir Guy saw these he'd take them," she said snatching the possessions from Henry's arms.

He fought her, tugging them back away from her. "That's the point! I don't want to end up in the Sheriff's jail because I can't afford this new tax!" he grunted at her.

She then let go of the objects, which crashed loudly to the ground. "What?"

Henry sighed. "I didn't want to tell you. I have nothing but two shillings, and I owe the Sheriff five. I don't have a choice."

"But- How?"

"Everyone's struggling; they can no longer afford to buy from me. I had to lower the prices just so they could survive, and now I- I have nothing," he said softly. "Less than nothing almost."

"Oh, Henry. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. He didn't answer, just simply shrugged his shoulders. They sat in silence, waiting for the guards to come knocking, and they did.

Edyn gasped as the door was kicked in and they both were pushed outside to stand before Sir Guy. "You owe us five shillings. Pay up!"

With shaking hands Henry passed over his coins and valuables and said, "This is all I have left to give you."

The guard who accepted the payment shook his head. It wasn't enough. "Well then, if you have nothing else you will go to prison, Sheriff's orders," Sir Guy stated.

Edyn watched in horror as her brother was grabbed by the scruff of his shirt and dragged towards the carriage already full with prisoners. "Please! Surely they amount to enough," she begged.

Sir Guy simply looked down his nose at her. "I do not make the rules, I merely enforce them." He paused and looked at her more closely, his eyes locking on the pale green stone that hung from a thin piece of leather around her neck. He jerked his head at one of his guards. The burly solider approached her before he pulled the pendant from her neck, the strap snapping painfully against her skin. "This will make up the remaining fee," Sir Guy said smugly signalling for her brother to be released.

Instantly she leapt towards the guard. "No, NO! You can't take that! Please!"

The beefy guard simply pushed her to the ground and before she could have another go at him Henry had grabbed her arms and held her back. "Just leave it, Edyn!"

"It was Mama's! It's all we have of hers!" she bellowed.

"It's just a necklace. Do you want me to go to prison so you can have a little bit of jewellery? Stop being so selfish!" Henry growled at her.

"But–"

"Leave it!" he ordered. By now Sir Guy had moved to the next house and Edyn knew she would not be able to get it back. Henry was right; she was being selfish. But that pendant was the only possession she owned that she truly prized. Everything else was replaceable. That was not.

Returning to Knighton Hall Marian gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm guessing things did not go well at Locksley," she said noting Edyn's miserable expression.

Edyn opened her mouth to say something rude about Sir Guy before she reconsidered. "It could have been worse," she muttered, thinking if Henry had been taken to Nottingham.

Marian merely nodded her head. "Are you still going to visit your friend in Nottingham?" Several weeks ago Edyn had been sent a message from Sybil that she was now married and living with Marcus. She had requested that Edyn visit her when she was next in Nottingham. But the last time she had been there she had been slightly distracted by the Saracen assassins to even consider stopping in for some tea. However, tonight Marian and herself were to stay in the castle while Sir Edward was away; requested by Sir Guy of course. Marian had then insisted that Edyn head off earlier to catch up with her friend and later meet Marian at the castle.

"I do not think that would be a good idea now," Edyn said fiddling with her sleeve hem.

"Why not?" Marian asked. Edyn shuffled nervously from foot to foot; she didn't have an answer. "My bags are packed and I will not need you until I arrive in the castle which won't be for a few hours, so go. Have some fun for once."

Edyn couldn't help but crack a smile. "Thank you, my lady."

While she rode towards town she idly touched the spot at the base of her neck where her pendant usually hung. It felt strange not to have it there, she almost felt naked without it. As she approached the gates she could see two hooded figures huddled together. She didn't need to be smart to know they were discussing ways of sneaking into the town. She pulled her horse to halt and giggled behind them. Both Allan and Will turned to look behind them. "Need some help?" she asked.

"We'll figure something out in a minute," Allan responded. After a moment he turned back to her. "You have any ideas?"

She thought for a moment looking around, again her hand went to her neck only to find it bare. She then spotted a Locksley man heading their way leading two horses. "I've got it," she said dismounting and handing her reins to Will.

Pulling her hair from its restraints she let it frame her face and billow down her back. She found it a nuisance and always pulled it away from her face, but she also knew that men loved seeing women with their hair loose. "What are you doing?" Allan asked but she simply ignored him. She felt foolish and took a deep breath approaching the Locksley man.

"Jeremy!" she greeted him with a warm smile.

"Hello, Edyn," he replied. "Haven't you changed from last time I saw you?"

She giggled and positioned herself so she stood with one hip curving to the side, her hand resting in the almost non-existent dip of her waist; this would work so much better if she actually had some curves. While working at the Trip she had learned many ways to manipulate a man but this was the first time she had attempted it. So far it was going well.

"You know, I was just remembering the last time we saw each other," she said while flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Do you remember, you're poor brother was so ill with hunger."

"Aye," Jeremy replied. "You were so kind to get us some bread without your brother knowing."

"It was nothing," Edyn said giggling again. "But, I was wondering if I could maybe ask you a favour?"

"Of course, Edyn. I could never say no to you," he said with a wink. She reframed from rolling her eyes. If she weren't feigning interest in him he probably would have hesitated if not refused.

Tucking her arm behind her back she signalled for Will and Allan to come over. "Well, I need some help sneaking some friends into Nottingham. Unpaid taxes, you see. They're looking to hide out with some friends away from the villages."

Jeremy nodded his head. "I understand that." His face suddenly fell when Will and Allan approached. "Oh, you didn't mention they were men."

"Thank you, Jeremy," she said taking her horse from Will and leaving them.

"C'mon, then," she heard Jeremy grumble to the outlaws. Both Will and Allan squatted behind Jeremy between the two horses so they were not spotted by the guard at the gate. Edyn smiled at her ingenious plan. Once inside Allan gave her a thumbs-up and the two outlaws disappeared into the town.

Upon arriving at Sybil's new home she became deafened by her squealing and hugging. She instantly began gushing about how she wanted Edyn to have been at the ceremony, but it had only been small; their parents and the priest were the only people present. "Oh, Edyn, I didn't think it was possible to be this happy!" Sybil exclaimed.

The entire time she was there Edyn struggled to bite back from her jealousy she felt. Great things always seemed to happen to Sybil, but Edyn constantly reminded herself about much more exciting her life was compared to Sybil. She didn't get to run around with outlaws, she had never broken in to the castle and she certainly had never felt that adrenalin rush when your body prepared itself for death. Y_es, my life is just as good as Sybil's, just different_, Edyn thought to herself.

"Oh, and Edyn, there are some things that people never tell you about being married, the things we get up to! I can't tell you how good it is," Sybil giggled.

Edyn simply nodded her head before it suddenly clicked. "Whoa! I don't need to know the details!" she exclaimed blushing. Why did some people have to discuss the private factors of their life?

"Edyn, it's beautiful! And soon, hopefully, we will have a child of our own," Sybil said, her face lighting up with excitement.

"What? You mean you're…?"

Sybil nodded. "I think so. I haven't told Marcus in case I'm wrong, but I truly believe I am."

"Wow." Edyn couldn't think of another word. "You two certainly don't wait around for too long."

"Well, it's not like you can prevent it, it happens when it happens," Sybil replied.

"Again, too much information," Edyn said. The rest of the time together was spent discussing things if Sybil were in fact with child. Edyn prayed that she was; it would break Sybil's heart if she weren't. As the day dragged on Edyn had to leave Sybil who begged her to stay longer.

When she arrived at the castle her eyes lingered on the prisoner's chained to the tree at the far end of the courtyard. The Sheriff never ceased to amaze her how cruel he could be. A soldier approached her taking her horse's reins so she could dismount waking her from her thoughts. "I'm 'ere to escort you to the Lady Marian's chamber," the guard said. She nodded her head and again she glanced at the poor being punished for not being able to pay the new tax. The man in the front raised his head and looked around in an attempt to keep the boredom at bay. She couldn't believe it. What was the point of helping him sneak in if he was going to get caught? She shook her head in Will's direction. "Miss?" the guard asked.

"Sorry, yes lead the way," she responded pulling her saddlebags from her horse. She then looked at the guard and gasped. Robin grinned and winked from behind the helmet he wore, disguising himself as one of the Sheriff's guards.

"This way," he said, adjusting Marian's portmanteau that was slung over his shoulder.

As they walked they soon came across Sir Guy. Edyn bent her knees as she always was required to do in his presence and out of the corner of her eye she could see Robin roll his eyes at her. As usual Sir Guy merely looked down his large nose at her. "This way," he muttered leading them down the corridor. When his back was turned Robin made a show of bowing stupidly at Sir Guy's figure. Edyn bite down hard on her lip to stop herself from laughing.

Arriving at Marian's bedchamber the three of them entered and Edyn got some amusement from Marian's shocked face when she spotted Robin. She was surprised at how unobservant Guy was at times; people often commented on how intelligent he was but Edyn couldn't understand it. Soon Robin was ordered to leave and she busied herself with unpacking the bags while Sir Guy spoke with Marian. Once he left Marian rushed outside her door in search of Robin and unhappily returned to her chamber when she could not find him. A smile spread across her face as Robin came out from behind a wall hanging. Edyn excused herself to allow them some privacy. She thought it was sweet that although Robin was obviously attempting a scheme he still found time to talk with Marian.

That night, Edyn had to sleep in the servant quarters of the castle. An experience she did not want to relive again. It was cold and eerie, and crowded too. All the women were crammed into one small room and she was shocked at how many snored and grunted in their sleep. Edyn was sure she didn't sleep at all during the night.

The following day she was to remain in Marian's bedchamber and pack her bags while Marian had to attend the Sheriff's Festival of Pain. She had admitted to Edyn she was tempted to feign an illness to avoid it, but the sudden thought of Sir Guy insisting she remain in the castle so he could wait upon her until she was well quickly made her reconsider.

After the hours passed Marian returned, trying to hold back her laughter. Edyn was quickly informed of the prisoners rescue after the Sheriff attempted to torture them as a way of entertainment. "Robin never stops amazing me with his schemes. How he comes up with them is a mystery to me," Marian said smiling broadly. "I think I have quite enough of the castle for today. My father will be home later this afternoon, no real point hanging around."

Edyn was relieved. As beautiful as the building was, its residents put her off staying longer than needed. Outside their horses were brought to them and they both kept their eyes focused on their mounts as Sir Guy stormed across the courtyard. As usual Robin had made his job much more difficult than what it should be. As childish as it seemed, Edyn got pleasure out of watching Sir Guy suffer. It was about time he felt some pain after everything he did to others.

**A:N/** _Stupid computer died and I had to rewrite the whole second part to this! And I have such a bad memory, I've either made it worse or better than what is was; let's hope for the latter. *crosses fingers!* Hope you're all still enjoying it. And I hope everyone is still in character, sometimes I think I make Marian different to what she's like in the show, I think I edit a hundred times and alter the things she says so hopefully I'm not doing too bad. Let me know though if I need to improve on that! Or anything else for that matter. I know there are some really cheesy bits but I just couldn't resist playing around with some ideas I had. _

_Reviews put a big cheesy grin on my face so keep them coming! And thank you for the reviews I received on my last chapter! You guys are the best! Mwah! Xx Oh and Iloveskitteryandmush- the beginning of the last chapter is based on Episode 8_


	10. Chapter 10

The weeks flew by since the tax collection and the weather was improving greatly as winter was now passed. One particularly warm morning Sir Guy rode to Knighton Hall unusually cheerful. Edyn quickly excused herself not wanting to be in his presence unless absolutely necessary. Sir Edward later entered the house to announce that Sir Guy had requested Marian go with him back to Locksley Manor.

When Marian returned much later she seemed quite shaken and pale. "Sir Guy has informed me that the King is returning. He has already landed in Hull and will be here within a few days' time," Marian said quietly. Edyn closed her eyes and repressed a sigh. Her fondness for Marian had influenced how she felt her pain as her own. She knew Marian was holding on to the thought that it would be quite a while before the King would return but it had come much too quickly than expected. "My- Our wedding," she corrected, "takes place in Locksley. On Saturday," Marian finished.

"So soon?" Edyn blabbed before she could stop herself. Sir Edward gave her a dark stare; she had spoken out of turn. "Sorry, my lord," she muttered uncomfortably.

He simply nodded his head and turned back to Marian. "Yes, why is it being so rushed?"

Marian shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know. I'm simply holding my end of the deal." She paused. "If you'll excuse me," she said in a small voice and exited the room.

As the day drew to an end Edyn busied herself in the stables grooming her horse. Lately whenever she had felt down she had escaped here away from the kitchen. She had become quite fond of the bay horse she had accumulated while she had worked at Knighton Hall and as strange as it seemed she got the feeling the animal enjoyed the company as much as she did. Like most beasts he had not been given a name and Edyn had soon found herself thinking of what she would call him if someday he were to be hers. She had recently decided on Duke, though she didn't know why. She just felt he deserved a name.

While she gently ran a brush along his soft red coat she could hear a low _thud_ sound coming from outside. She knew it was Marian practising her sword skills against an old post at the front of the house. She paused from her work and wondered how Marian was feeling. Since she had announced the day of her wedding she had been silent from the moment she had excused herself. It was not like her to simply shut herself off from people, especially not her father. Setting the brush aside she went to move outside to her mistress when she heard another voice. Glancing to where Marian continued to strike at the wood she could see Robin leaning casually against his bow talking with Marian. Finally he got a response out of her and Edyn left them to it returning to her non-important task. Maybe Robin would be able to cheer her, Edyn hoped.

But the longer they talked the louder their voices became to the point where Robin was yelling at Marian who tried to match his pitch although she seemed to become much more worked up trying to convince herself her marriage was not the worst thing that could happen to her. Shaking her head Edyn moved outside. "Robin!" she warned. He barely glanced at her arrival and continued to pressure Marian who stood uncomfortably avoiding eye contact. "Robin, I think you should leave," Edyn said firmly as Sir Edward stepped outside to investigate the commotion.

Robin continued to ignore her until Marian finally looked up at him. "I will deal with this!" he promised her before she turned and headed into the house. Edyn followed while Sir Edward remained outside to make sure Robin left. Inside, Edyn was shocked to see Marian with tears welling in her eyes. Robin had touched on a subject she wished not to think about. He had put forth every bad fact about her marriage that she wished to ignore. And as rude as it all seemed Edyn knew it was his way of trying to show his love for Marian, though he was going about it the wrong way. He should be comforting her, not criticising her.

"Edyn, can you please leave," Marian said as her father re-entered the house. Edyn did not take it to heart as Marian was, in a way, grieving; she was losing her freedom as well as her chance to be with the man she loves.

The following day Edyn helped Sir Edward to pack and leave for Merton and Marian had only left her room to bid him goodbye. She sat down glumly at the table and Edyn brought her a plate of food, which she simply picked at, only eating a little. "You will come with me? To Locksley I mean, when I am married?" Marian asked her in a soft voice.

"Of course," Edyn replied. "I already agreed when you asked me a while ago."

"I know," Marian said, "but then we were both under the impression it would be quite a while before the King would return. This is just so out of the blue. I just- I don't know how I should react. I keep trying to tell myself of all the good things that will come out of this marriage. But Robin's words keep circulating around my mind. How dare he say such things to me, I'm only trying to protect myself," Marian said obviously trying to defend her situation.

Edyn sighed. "In my opinion, he is saying such things because he is hurting just as much as you, my lady."

"What? How on earth would this hurt him as much as me? He is not the one being forced into a marriage," Marian retorted.

"Yes, but you cannot deny how much he loves you. If you marry Sir Guy then he really has lost everything he truly cares for. And all of it to the same man."

Marian was silent and Edyn was worried she had too much. "I'm sorry, my lady," she said bowing her head in guilt.

"No," Marian spoke up. "I fear you may be right. But there's nothing I can do. I must hurt him in order to protect my father and myself, no matter how cruel it sounds. There is no way we could ever be together so maybe it's a good thing I am to be married. Put an end to our feelings before they become too strong."

Edyn nodded her head to please Marian although she didn't agree with what was said; she knew it was already too late. Their feelings couldn't possibly become any stronger than what they were now surely.

That night Edyn watched as Marian snuck from the house dressed as the Nightwatchman, her last bit of excitement before her life would be controlled for her. Edyn had left the candles burning for when she would return and sat herself down at the table in the main room while she fixed the stitching on some of Marian's gowns. She would never say it to anyone but Marian always made a mess of the fabric whenever she tried to fix it herself; her heart was never in it, always longing to be something much more exciting and adrenalin pumping.

She then thought she could hear something outside; footsteps. Quietly she set her sewing aside and hesitantly got to her feet. Then she heard another sound upstairs in Marian's room. She sometimes hated herself for being so fearful but she forced herself to move to the door and pull it open. She gasped at the sight of Robin's men all standing to the side of the door and Robin himself climbing down from Marian's window.

She let out a breath of relief. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

Robin grunted as he landed on his feet. "Where's Marian? I need to tell her something."

"She went out. I don't know where though," Edyn replied.

"Some maid you are," Allan scoffed. "Aren't you supposed to know everything she gets up to? I thought it was a maids business to know everyone else's."

"Well this is Marian we're talking about. Not exactly an open book is she?" Edyn said.

Allan grinned at her. "So you have no idea where she would have gone?" Robin said.

Edyn shook her head. "She was dressed as the Nightwatchman so I'm assuming she's enjoying herself before she has to wed Sir Guy."

"Well, let's come back tomorrow," Much said.

Robin stared into the darkness in thought. "We can wait," Allan said to him. Edyn couldn't ignore the sudden excitement she felt at thought of them waiting with her for Marian's return.

Robin head then suddenly snapped up. "I know where she is. She's stealing Gisborne's money!"

"Oh, good work," Allan complimented.

They all went to leave when Edyn called them back. "Wait! I'm coming," she called as she pulled the door closed behind her.

Robin stared at her questioning. "Edyn, we don't need your help. It's best if you stay here."

"I'm coming! If anything happens to her I'll blame myself for not stopping her," she replied.

"You're making it sound much more dramatic than it really is," Robin said echoing similar words that her brother used to say to her often.

"I'm coming!" she repeated firmly.

"Fine! But you have to stay hidden; otherwise Gisborne will work out who the Nightwatchman is."

Edyn nodded her head in agreement and followed them. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Djaq give her a sidelong glance; both of them were still strangers after all. To her she probably seemed like an annoying girl who wanted to join Robin's gang of outlaws. If only she knew some of the situations Edyn had helped Robin with before Djaq had been with them.

As they approached Locksley Manor they could already here a commotion and several guards stood surrounding the building. Robin gestured for Edyn to hide amongst the trees on the outskirts of the forest. From where she crouched in the scrub she watched them burst into Robin's former estate weapons already raised. They wouldn't have been in there for very long but the few minutes felt like hours as she waited for them to emerge. From the commotion she guessed Marian had been spotted but she didn't know if she had been identified. She prayed that she was all right. What would she tell Sir Edward if anything were to happen to her?

Finally, they all emerged. Thankfully Marian was among them clinging to Robin. "Split up, into pairs," she heard him call to his gang. Her heart sank slightly as she watched Will run in the opposite direction with Allan. _What did you expect? _A little voice in her mind said. Marian and Robin disappeared together with Much and Djaq close behind them. Little John was now running in Edyn's direction.

"Up, quickly," he said to her and they both ducked into the trees of Sherwood Forest. After running for a while Edyn began to lag behind John. He was much older than her, which she found irritating but she reminded herself he had to be fit in order to survive. She was no longer as fit as she once was since she had been living at Knighton Hall. It was dark and she struggled to find her way through the denseness of the forest. Thick rain clouds covered the moon and stars and she hoped the rain would hold off until they reached shelter.

When they arrived at the outlaw's camp the morning sun was already beginning to rise making it much easier for Edyn to see what was in front of her. She got the feeling John had become a little frustrated by her lagging pace as well as having to help her back to her feet when she had fallen or slipped from not seeing what lay on the ground in front of her.

She had to admit their recent camp impressed her. The entrance to the cave was almost completely hidden if you were to just simply pass by the rock face. Inside Much and Djaq were both huddled next to a small fire. She glanced around looking for the others but they seemed to be the only ones there. Edyn had been sure John and herself would have been last due to her slowness but it appeared she was mistaken.

Hours dragged by and still no one else returned. Not long after John and Edyn had arrived the rain began pelting down breaking the uncomfortable silence. Agitated, John leapt to his feet claiming he was going to see if the others were close. He returned soon after dripping wet and worried. What could have delayed the others so much? She could hear Much beside her muttering anxiously and she tried her best to ignore him.

They then all heard another voice. "John!" Robin yelled as he came into view from the cave entrance. "John!" The light then hit his figure and Edyn saw to her horror Marian's limp body clutched in his arms. Little John leapt to his feet to take her from Robin and Djaq was close behind him. "Gisborne stabbed her," Robin announced. Edyn walked slowly behind them and Much still stood stunned rooted to the spot.

They soon had her laid down on a makeshift bed and Djaq quickly undid Marian's jacket to inspect the wound. Edyn gasped when she caught sight of it; she had no head for blood and gore and this wound was a mess. Djaq sent her a warning look. They all quickly had a job to do and Edyn remained standing awkwardly staring in horror. As Djaq prodded the injury Marian cried out and flinched away from the pain. Although Robin tried to hold her down he only had one free hand as he clutched Marian's hand in the other. Djaq turned to her. "Edyn, could you?" she jerked her head beside her. Numbly Edyn climbed up next to Djaq and held Marian's shoulders as Djaq closed up the wound. Marian's screams would haunt Edyn for as long as she lived, she knew it.

Edyn remained by Marian's side even after Robin left to sit nearby and sharpen some arrowheads. She had been so worried about her. In all the months she had lived with and worked for Marian she had never seen her hurt or vulnerable, it was terrifying to witness it now. When Djaq left she nudged Edyn and indicated that she should leave also. She glanced in Robin's direction and took the hint. No matter how anxious and worried she had been feeling she knew it must have been ten times worse for Robin.

Moving towards the campfire they were stunned that Will and Allan were still not there. "Do you think something may have happened to them?" Edyn asked trying to cover the worry in her voice.

"They'll be fine," Djaq muttered. Strange how all the outlaws were annoyed at their absence rather than concerned for them. Edyn reminded herself that they had to be tough to survive the way they lived; they couldn't spend every waking moment fretting over each other.

Finally Marian succumbed to sleep and as night fell Edyn tried her best to make herself comfortable on the hard cave floor. She wished she had been more intelligent and picked up her cloak as she left the house the night before. _It would have been nice to snuggle into now_, she thought to herself.

Morning came and Edyn poked her head around to check on Marian. She was still sleeping soundlessly with Robin slouched next to her. She felt her heart warm slightly at the thought of Robin refusing to leave her side as she slept, not many men would do that. She then remembered Sir Guy and how Marian was being forced to become his wife rather than Robin's. She doubted he would be this caring to stay with her. Hell, he was the one who had done this to her in the first place.

Outside she found Much leaning over a pot of boiling water trying to fuel the small fire while talking quietly with Djaq. As Edyn approached them Djaq suddenly got to her feet and rushed back into the cave. Edyn began to worry that her presence was becoming a nuisance. But she got comfort from Much who began babbling about what Marian liked to eat and she knew at least she didn't annoy him.

When Djaq returned her face was stern and she kept her eyes low. Again, Much asked his usual oblivious questions and Edyn tried to block out his voice.

"Djaq?" she asked.

Her eyes briefly met Edyn's and she glanced down towards Much who still hadn't registered the tension in the air. "Pray to your God," she said suddenly. "And to mine." Her eyes flickered up to Edyn's again and she said, "She is going to die." There was silence and Edyn couldn't make any noise escape her throat.

"Die? What do you mean die?" Much asked.

"Her face, I've seen that look a thousand times before," Djaq replied.

"N-no," Edyn finally managed to say. "Maybe you're mistaken. She- she can't." Djaq looked at Edyn once more, surveying the young woman's expression. How young and naive she was. "Please?" Edyn begged her as if Djaq had control over Marian's fate. So innocent this girl was, trusting that nothing bad would ever happen if she held onto hope.

Nervously Much began to babble and Djaq gave him a list of tasks she needed to be done as she was going to re-open Marian's wound and try to fix the damage. She went to leave when Edyn suddenly caught her arm. "What about me? What shall I do?" Djaq remained silent. "Please?" Edyn begged her again. "I want to help."

"Okay, here." Djaq passed her the instruments to be used for the surgery. "I need these to be sterilized in boiling water."

Edyn nodded her head and accepted the tools held out to her. As she worked her eyes lingered on the strange utensils. They scared her, looking more like instruments of torture rather than healing. She blinked furiously when she felt her eyes begin to prickle. No! She was not going to look like a scared child. She was determined to put on a brave face as Marian always did. She wasn't going to die, there was no way Djaq could be positive.

As Edyn made her way through the cave with the clean instruments she paused when she heard Robin talking with Marian. He was admitting how much he regretted going to the Holy Land, leaving Locksley, but most importantly leaving Marian. She could hear in his voice he was holding back tears, the agony of watching Marian suffer was finally becoming too much for him.

"Marian," Robin said, "I never should have gone."

"Robin…" Marian's weak voice followed.

"I–"

"I love you, you love me, we all love each other. Drink the wine!" Djaq's voice suddenly interrupted Robin's voice.

As Edyn emerged from where she had been hiding she desperately wanted to scream and yell at Djaq. She could understand the urgency to help Marian but surely waiting a few moments for the two lovers to admit their feelings wouldn't be her death. She kept her eyes down so her scowl would not be seen but the others. It had taken the two of them so long to get to this point only to be interrupted.

Edyn resumed her spot beside Djaq at Marian's head and held her shoulders as Djaq re-opened the wound. Marian let out a horrific scream and when her cries died down the only sound that could be heard was her blood dripping from her skin onto the rock surface beneath her. Edyn diverted her eyes away from the gore feeling the last meal she had eaten begin to rise up her throat. She took a deep breath through her nose which didn't help at all as all she could smell was the sickening metallic smell of Marian's blood.

Occasionally Marian would let out a pathetic moan or whimper as Djaq fiddled around inside of her until she finally passed out, her head rolling to the side and resting on Robin's arm. He let out a sigh of relief; at least she wasn't in pain anymore. It was then that Djaq began to stress and ramble angrily. Her training was minimal and Marian's injury was serious. Mixed with the fact Djaq did not have the proper equipment to use for surgery she began to doubt her skills.

By now Robin had his own finger pressing on the leaking blood vessel while Djaq tried to inspect any other damage the dagger may have caused. Djaq continued to become more worked up and Robin finally had had enough calling Much to take his place while he went to get another physician.

"Robin, hurry!" Edyn cried over Much's complaints. Marian was fading fast and the physician Pitts was their last hope to save her. While Djaq continued to work Edyn leant forward and gently took Marian's hand in her own. "Please don't die," she whispered ignoring the look she received from Djaq.

Time seemed to drag as they waited for Robin. Determined there was nothing further she could do, Djaq got up from where she sat to rest by the fire; she had exhausted herself with the stress. By now Edyn had moved her free hand to softly stroke Marian's dark hair.

It was then that Much became distressed that he could no longer feel Marian's heartbeat. Instantly Djaq leapt back to where she had sat before and inspected Marian. When she got no response from her she sighed heavily and rested a hand on her chest right before she slammed her fist on top of it causing Marian's whole body to shudder. Edyn gasped and Much grabbed Djaq's hands to stop her.

"Trust me, where she is she cannot feel a thing!" Djaq reassured them as she pulled her wrists from Much's clutch.

Djaq continued to slam her fist onto Marian's chest and Edyn later found out she was trying to shock Marian's heart to beat again. Edyn felt her eyes prickle once more and she wasn't sure if she going to be able to hold the tears back as she brought Marian's hand to her lips and gently kissed it before resting it against her cheek. Words could not describe the relief that washed over her when Much announced that Marian's pulse had returned. "Allah be praised!" Djaq had yelled loudly, which both Much and John mimicked out with relief. Edyn let out a huge sigh; that had been much too close.

Finally, Robin returned with the physician Pitts. He instructed Djaq to give Marina a drop of his draught before he merely glanced at Djaq's job at sewing up the leaking vessel and nodded his head at her suggestion for her to close the wound. Edyn frowned as his abrupt attitude and Djaq herself looked a little taken back. "Do you have a clean needle? Thread? Cloth?" Djaq asked.

"Oh, yes, of course," he muttered before digging through his large bag. Edyn caught sight of Robin's suspicious expression as he peeked a look inside the physician's bag. His eyes followed Pitts' hands as he handed Djaq the equipment she needed before he excused himself. Edyn was tempted to call after Robin but decided it was better to remain silent.

When Djaq finished the last stitch they both looked at each other with relief. Over the last few hours Edyn had gained a lot of respect for Djaq, even if sometimes she was a little too severe, she was still a good person. Edyn watched as she got up to clean her hands and Pitts came closer to Marian, leaning over her before a smile crossed his face, for some strange reason his smirk seemed unnerving. When he moved away Edyn protectively moved closer to Marian and brushed the hair from her face. Something wasn't right. Marian was still, too still. Placing a hand on Marian's chest she waited for it to rise and fall with her breathing. Nothing happened.

Robin's raised voice could be heard as he re-entered the cave and Much left to see to his master but Edyn ignored all else that was happening, her focus was on the fact that Marian had suddenly stopped breathing.

"Djaq!" The Saracen looked up at her puzzled. "Djaq, she's not breathing!"

Within a second Djaq was leaning over Marian, her hands fumbling as she checked her pulse and for any signs of life. Edyn watched in horror as she gently removed her shaking hands from Marian's body. She looked up at Edyn with wide eyes and shook her head.

"No, no, no…" Edyn rambled as Djaq turned to Pitts who simply watched the spectacle with the same smirked painted on his face. He gave a small satisfied chuckled and left them. "Djaq, please? There must be something you can do?" Edyn asked desperately. When she got no answer she continued. "You revived her before, you can do it again. I know you can! Djaq, please?" She felt a warm tear slide down her cheek but she ignored it.

Djaq slowly shook her head. "I- I cannot. She's gone, Edyn. I- There's no way I can bring her back from where she is now."

Edyn let out a sob and looked down at her mistress while shaking her head in disbelief. How peaceful Marian looked in death. She sniffed pathetically and glanced up at Djaq. She was surprised to find the strong-willed woman with tears welling in her eyes. They both looked up when they heard footsteps approaching. Robin stood staring at them in doubt. "Robin… I'm sorry," Djaq said softly as she slowly began to walk towards him away from Marian's body. Edyn then followed, understanding that she needed to give Robin time to say goodbye to the woman he loved.

Once away from Robin she felt the lump in her throat grow in size and when she caught sight of Much's confused expression she let out a sob. Another soon followed and she brought her hands to her face trying to hide herself. How foolish she felt crying like a child. Out the corner of her eye she noticed Djaq had her sword held up to Pitts' throat. She took a deep breath and tried to control her emotions. She could hear something outside. Horses whinnying, hoof beats approaching and equipment rattling but what terrified her the most was the Sheriff's voice which yelled gleefully, "Oh, Robin Hood! Come out, come out wherever you are." His malicious chuckle seemed to echo around the cave they hid in.

Edyn sent John a questioning look and she heard Much say quietly, "They're here."

**A:N/**_** Ooo! My first cliff-hanger! Even though we all know what happens so it doesn't really count haha. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm really bad when it comes to portraying emotions. Whenever I've been in a horrible situation I can never think of words to describe how I'm feeling so I hope I didn't do too badly with this chapter. I have to admit I surprised myself when I was editing it, I didn't think it was going to come out as good as it did. Yay!**_

_**I was asked if I'm going to finish at the end of the first series or continue on… And so far I've decided that I'm going to continue this until the end of the second series. I've been thinking it through and I can't think of a way of keeping Edyn involved in the story after everything that happens in the Holy Land without her becoming a member of the gang and I really don't want to do that. But I have an awesome build up and ending in mind so I hope you'll enjoy it =) And her mothers necklace may or may not make a reappearance… you'll have to wait and see.**_

_**Thankyou my lovely reviewers, you are the best! Mwah! Keep them coming so I continue to write with a stupid smirk on my face hehe. **_


	11. Chapter 11

John turned to Much and nodded his head. With a sigh Much gathered his weapons and reluctantly followed Little John out of the cave. "I– I don't understand," Edyn said. "How did they…?" she trailed off. Her question was answered by a malicious laugh. She looked up at Pitts still being held by Djaq's firm grip. "You!" she hissed.

His smile spread wider. "Who else do you think would?"

Shaking her head her sorrow quickly changed to rage. "How could you? After what just happened to Marian you still laugh at the idea of the rest of us dying. How could you be so heartless as to find death a joyful occasion?" He did not reply, simply kept the smirk on his face until Djaq slammed his body to the closest wall. "We should kill him," Edyn said astonished by her own words. "I don't want to have to wait for the Sheriff's men to kill him with us."

Again he laughed and Djaq looked over her shoulder at Edyn. "He cannot die. If we kill him then Robin will have no proof that Gisborne was in the Holy Land and attempted to kill your King."

"This is the physician that pretended to treat him?" Edyn asked in a small voice.

She got no reply, though she didn't need one. Of course he worked for Sir Guy and the Sheriff, who else would be heartless enough to allow someone like Marian to die, and now it seemed the rest of them also. Edyn shuddered at the thought that soon they may all die. Little John and Much were already trying to defend them, but they were only two against many. They were surely going to die. And it wouldn't be long before the Sheriff's men would come barging into the cave and murder the rest of them. How cruel life could be to the few good people left in Nottingham, Edyn thought as she recollected the last few days she had spent with Robin's men, the few that remained anyway. Her anger suddenly surged again as she remembered that Allan and Will were not there. They would have a slightly better chance against the Sheriff with two more men.

Edyn jumped in shock as Robin emerged from where Marian lay. His eyes were dark with anger and he seized his sword along with his bow and headed outside. He truly looked terrifying and Edyn suddenly realised what love and heartache could do to a person, it could almost drive them mad. Djaq watched Robin go and hesitated before she glared at Pitts and let him go, lowering her Saracen blade and followed Robin outside.

Shouts and cries could be heard outside and Edyn's hands shook with fear and confusion. She desperately wanted to go outside and help, but how? Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Pitts take one the few remaining bandages from his bag and headed for the cave entrance. "Oi!" Edyn cried leaping after him as he waved the cloth high above his head calling out to Sir Guy. She had almost grabbed the back of his shirt as he stepped out into the sunlight and she heard an arrow whistle passed and rebound of the rock face just in front of her. She withheld a shriek and fell back to the ground inside the cave.

She climbed back to her feet and looked over her shoulder. From where she stood she could not see what was happening outside but she could hear everything – the shrieks of pain, the sound of arrows cutting through the air, Robin's men yelling, almost growling, trying to boost themselves up as they ran down towards the Sheriff's soldiers. What if they would die? There was so few of them. Edyn sniffed at the thought of them falling, joining Marian in death.

With a heavy heart she slowly approached where Marian lay and sat herself on the ground and leant her back against the makeshift bed. She sniffed again and now that she had the privacy she allowed herself to cry, to fully open up and let all her emotions out. She brought her knees up to her chest and hid her face in her hands. Not one moment in her life had seemed as horrific as this one. Her mistress, or rather her friend was now dead, the few people who respected her were now fighting for their lives and the one person she truly thought she had fallen for was gone, abandoned them when they needed help the most. Her cries continued to rattle through her chest and her voice became deep and hoarse. The fact that she herself may die shortly seemed unimportant compared to everything else that was circulating in her mind. _I just want it to end_, she thought with a sigh.

She didn't know how long she sat there slumped against the rock bed. Her tears had eventually stopped and she simply stared at the leaf litter that covered the cave floor. She jumped when she heard footsteps approaching. It didn't even occur to her that all the noise from outside had died down. She looked up to see Robin and his men approaching. They had done it! She scrambled to her feet to get out of the way and stared in shock at the sudden appearance of Allan and Will. No one said anything and she assumed they had explained themselves while they were outside.

Robin struggled to speak as he tried to organise his men, his voice cracking slightly when he asked Will to make a coffin. Little John approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder as he hushed him. "In time. First, we say goodbye."

There was silence as they all stood watching Marian's lifeless body. Will was the first to break the silence and when Edyn looked over her shoulder at him she noticed a tear fall from his eye. She knew he would be feeling guilty. He hadn't been here when Marian had died and he would be torturing himself mentally with the guilt of it all. Edyn remembered when his mother had passed how he blamed himself for it, refusing to let anyone comfort him. She went to take a step closer to him but stopped herself rocking back to where she stood before. The rest of the gang were all saying a few words for Marian and Edyn felt herself well up again when Robin muttered his love for her.

Allan then took a step closer to Marian's body, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her more closely before he claimed that Marian was breathing.

"What?" Edyn asked as Djaq moved towards Marian, her voice still sounded odd, strained and tired.

They all gathered closer as Djaq rested her Saracen sword beneath Marian's nose. A moment later they all saw the blade fog up as Marian let out a breath. "She is breathing!" Djaq announced as Robin reclaimed his position next to Marian where he had spent the last few days. As Djaq began to check Marian for more signs of life she began explaining of the physician's draught freezing the body so that the person appears dead, luckily for Marian she was young and healthy and was able to fight against the draught. From where Edyn stood next to Will she could see the rest of the gang all looking around in astonishment waiting for Marian to open her eyes, the last bit of proof they needed to finally put their mind to rest. Much was hurriedly wiping his tears from his face with his sleeve, but Will she noticed seemed unconvinced, his eyes never leaving Marian's body and his expression remained unchanged.

Edyn held her breath as she watched as Marian's eyes finally flickered open. She let out a small cry and suddenly grabbed Will's arm to stabilise herself. There was a round of cheers as Marian looked around confused at the crowd gathered around her. Robin gave her a teary smile and cupped her face in his hands as if he were never going to let her go.

Soon after the overall shock had died down Will was sent out to make a stretcher and Edyn was asked to help him with the fabrics. She gathered the old blankets and followed Will outside into the warm sun. She found herself sniffling still as she tore the fabric into strips and made a temporary mattress for Marian to lie on. She had not been able to stop the tears since Marian had opened her eyes and she couldn't understand it, everything was good again. Marian was alive and soon she would be well again, so why was she still crying? Will glanced at her as he brought over some thin logs, which he had smoothed out by removing all sticks and branches from them. She hastily wiped the tears from her face and let out a sigh.

"You alright?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "I'm fine, I just–" she paused and shook her head. "Nothing."

They were silent for a while as Will held up the structure so Edyn could tie on the fabric. Finally Edyn could no longer retain her curiosity. "Where were you?" Her voice was low and she looked up into his eyes trying to read his expression.

At first he refused to look at her, keeping his eyes on the wood in his arms before he eventually met her gaze. "I was making a mistake," he admitted simply. "And I wish I could take it back."

"We needed you here," Edyn added unable to stop herself. She didn't want to make him feel bad but some things she needed to say.

"I know," he said bowing his head pretending to study the half build stretcher.

Edyn felt guilty. He was obviously feeling bad enough and now she was making him feel worse and she had no reason to do so. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I'm just– I still feel upset over everything that happened the last few days."

He shook his head. "I deserve to hear them." Again his green eyes met hers and for some odd reason she wanted him to be closer, for him to hold her, to comfort her. She wanted him to be as close as he was that day at the castle and she had no idea why.

Forcing herself to tear her eyes from his she focused all her attention on the task at hand. It wasn't long before they were finished and carrying the stretcher towards the cave, but then Will stopped her.

"I almost forgot, I have something of yours," he said and Edyn surveyed him curiously as he dug his hand deep into one of his trouser pockets. Finally he pulled out something that was dangling from a thin piece of leather.

Edyn gasped and brought her hands to cover her mouth. "H-how did you…?"

"It was amongst the money and valuables we took from Gisborne the other night. I noticed you weren't wearing it the last few times I saw you," he explained. "Here," he held out her mother's necklace for her to take, which she accepted with shaking hands.

"I don't understand," Edyn muttered. "He took this weeks ago, with the tax collection. It should have been taken to London with the rest of the money."

"He must have kept it," Will replied not bothering to explain how the money never made it to London anyway.

"But why?" Edyn questioned.

Will shrugged his shoulders. "Why does he do half the things we've all seen him do?"

Edyn gave him a half smile. "True." He went to pick up the stretcher and leave before Edyn placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you, so very much. I owe you one."

He simply shook his head and brushed it off. "It was nothing."

Edyn wanted to laugh at his response. To him it was nothing, but to her there was no greater gift she could have received and she wanted desperately to express her gratitude.

As it was now getting dark they decided it was best to leave at first light in the morning to head to Knighton Hall. Edyn had tied her mother's pendant around her ankle and concealed it in her boot so it would not be seen by anyone. She remembered the outcome of the last necklace that had been stolen and she didn't want a reoccurrence.

Early the next morning they carried Marian through the forest and Edyn then became nervous of Sir Edward's reaction. Would he be mad? Would he yell at her in front of everyone or wait until they left. Would he ask her to leave Knighton Hall? She suddenly became very anxious at the thought that she may lose her job. She didn't see Sir Edward as a cruel man but he was very protective of his daughter, she was all he had and he wouldn't let anything happen to her if he could help it. As they approached the house Sir Edward came out to meet them looking at them with wide eyes. Robin immediately began explaining the situation as John picked Marian up into his arms to carry her upstairs. Edyn sent Robin a smile in thanks, she was glad she was not the one to explain it to him.

Once inside she headed straight to the kitchen to get Robin's men some food. She was absolutely famished and she guessed they would all be sharing her hunger. Inside the kitchen Janet looked up from the pot she was stirring and immediately began demanding an explanation. "Where the hell have you been? Who's out there? You do realise the master has been fretting like nothing I've ever known, been refusing to eat or sleep until his daughter was to return. He's absolutely furious with you!" Edyn tried her best to ignore the words been spoken to her and began piling a plate high with whatever food she could find. "What do you think you're doing?" Janet continued. "Have you seen yourself? You're an absolute mess, your hairs everywhere and you're covered from head to toe in mud! I'm not even going to mention the smell."

"Sorry, Janet, but I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment to answer your questions," Edyn muttered as she headed for the door. Not surprising Janet went to follow her. "Don't!" Edyn snapped. Her tone even shocked herself. She hadn't meant to sound that harsh but the stress and lack of sleep was catching up with her. "Just stay in here," she continued.

Janet seemed to be frozen as she simply watched as Edyn left the room. She had never known Edyn to have a temper or ever heard her raise her voice, not even slightly. She was curious to know what had happened to get that sort of reaction out of her but decided it was best to listen to what was asked of her and remain in the kitchen as she meant to.

Upstairs, Edyn noticed Will stood keeping watch, staring out of the window near Marian's room. "Will, here eat something," she said to him softly.

He gratefully accepted taking some bread and cold meat before he resumed his watch.

Inside Marian's room Much was the first to reach for the plate of food grabbing the largest slab of cheese she had placed on the plate. Allan quickly took Much's spot and Edyn then approached John and Djaq whom was inspecting a wound on John's arm. "That looks nasty," Edyn said as John gladly accepted the chicken being offered to him. Djaq barely glanced at the plate and shook her head. "Djaq, you need to eat. After everything you've done you deserve it more than anyone," Edyn pushed.

Djaq smiled at her. "Thank you," she said finally taking the few remains on the plate and Edyn got the feeling she was not being thanked for the food she was giving out.

"Gisborne!" Will suddenly came into the room and hissed at them.

Edyn hurried passed the plate to Much and was about to head for the door when Sir Edward stopped her. "No, I'll go, Edyn. I'll send him away."

The tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut with a knife as they all stood listening to Sir Edward trying to reason with Sir Guy. Eventually Sir Guy had had enough and growled angrily at Sir Edward before they heard him stamp up the stairs. The room quickly turned to chaos as they all tried to find somewhere to hide. Even Edyn found herself shaking with fear and she was the only one who could be seen. She watched as Djaq hurriedly leapt into Marian's boot chest and Edyn hastily straightened the cloth that usually hung over it and she felt Allan's foot collide with her shoulder as he leapt out the window. Edyn straightened up just as Sir Guy pushed the door wide open, she could see Much flattening himself against the wall behind the door and she tried to hide her smile at his idiocy.

Sir Guy merely glanced at Edyn and went straight to Marian to lean over her possessively. Sir Edward soon followed him and stood near Edyn before he pushed someone's foot under Marian's bed. She had no idea who it was but they were lucky Sir Guy had not noticed it. She watched as Marian opened her eyes to look at Guy before her eyes strayed away from him slightly, looking up at the veil above her head. Curiously, Edyn followed her gaze and hastily covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Holding himself very stiff Robin had himself positioned between two beams up behind the veil, completely unseen by Sir Guy. Edyn glanced at Sir Edward and he too looked at her with the same astonished expression she knew she wore on her face.

Thankfully, Sir Guy did not linger and left them soon after he had muttered some words of comfort to Marian, completely oblivious that she was staring right at his enemy. As soon as the door was closed the outlaws all emerged from where they hid. Edyn noticed John's head poke out from under the bed and she wondered where Will had hidden as she lifted the lid of the chest to help Djaq out as she spotted two feet drop drown from the chimney into fireplace. She grinned widely as Will's tall lanky frame squeezed from the fireplace. "What?" he asked as he brushed the soot from his shirt.

"Nothing, just– who thinks to hide in a chimney?" she giggled quietly.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I panicked," he admitted. Her laughter was cut short as Robin left the room in a huff quickly followed by Sir Edward. They all looked at each other nervously and they heard Marian call out weakly, "Robin…"

Edyn moved to her side. "He's just outside. He'll be back in a moment."

Marian gave her a meek smile and reached her hand out towards Edyn's. Edyn took the hand offered to her and smiled. "You look terrible, Edyn." Edyn giggled. Marian was back.

Several hours later after Robin's gang had left and Edyn was pottering around Marian's room, preparing things for the wedding the following day. She glanced over at Marian worriedly. Was she going to be up for it? Marian it seemed guessed what was worrying Edyn and asked her to help her up and to get changed.

"My lady, are you sure?" Edyn asked as she helped pull Marian to her feet.

"I must," Marian replied wincing at every movement. "I have a wedding to attend tomorrow and I must not look as if I have recently been stabbed."

Edyn sighed. She had a point but it seemed wrong that Marian was pushing herself so much. She even asked that her father take her to Locksley so that she could see Sir Guy. While they were away Edyn was requested to go to Nottingham and collect the dress Marian was to wear the following day from the seamstress.

When she arrived the seamstress proudly showed Edyn her work and even she had to admit it was a beautiful garment. It was made from the finest material and the stitching and embroidery was unlike anything Edyn had ever seen. "I hope your mistress will like it," the older woman said.

"I'm sure she will," Edyn replied as it was carefully folded and wrapped so it was protected for the journey back to Knighton.

"And please congratulate your mistress on her wedding. She is a very lucky woman. Sir Guy is exceptionally handsome and many women I see to here often remark on how they wish to become the future Lady Gisborne," the seamstress said as Edyn headed for the door. Forcing herself to smile she assured the woman she would and left. It seemed everyone was happy for the wedding with the exception of the bride.

That night Edyn spent hours preparing Marian for her wedding the following day and all the while Marian sat silent staring at her gold gown that hung where her Nightwatchman attire usually resided, musing over everything that had happened and was about to happen. She had many different kinds of oils and lotions rubbed into her skin and through her hair before it was braided and Edyn looked on at her miserably as she worked.

The following day came too quickly. Edyn rose earlier than usual and prepared Marian's morning meal before she brought it in to her. When she pushed the door open she found Marian already awake, laying on one side and staring blankly at the wall.

"Good morning, my lady," Edyn said placing the tray of food down at her table and opened the windows to let the morning air in. "How are you feeling?"

There was a pause before Marian spoke softly. "I'm fine." It was clear she wasn't but Edyn thought it was best to keep herself silent. Reluctantly Marian rose from her bed and sat down in front of her mirror refusing to eat the food that sat in front of her. Edyn got to work untying the ribbons that held Marian's hair in place and let the curls drop down Marian's back. While she worked she occasionally looked into the mirror at Marian's depressed reflection, each time she noticed her own reflection mirrored Marion's expression. "Edyn, please!" Marian said suddenly making Edyn jump. "Do not look at me like that."

"Sorry, my lady," Edyn said determined to keep her face expressionless.

"Everything will be fine. I will soon adapt to my new lifestyle and maybe one day I will grow to love Guy as much as he loves me," Marian said trying to convince herself.

There was silence and Marian suddenly bowed her head and sighed. "I love him so much, Edyn. More than when we were younger. I didn't think it was possible to feel this way about a person," Marian whispered softly and it didn't take a genius to know she was talking about Robin. Unsure of what Marian wanted to hear for comfort, Edyn gently placed a hand on her shoulder and moved closer though she still remained standing behind where Marian sat. Surprisingly Marian turned and rested her own hand on Edyn's, and Edyn didn't stop herself as she moved even closer and brought her other arm around Marian so she could squeeze her shoulders. Marian squeezed Edyn's hand tighter and leant her head against Edyn's. The both of them sat unmoving for a while, enjoying the closeness that was so inappropriate for the two of them being a noblewoman and a maid.

A while later Marian was finally ready and Edyn had donned a new dress for the occasion, which she hated to admit but several times she caught herself admiring her reflection as she added the finishing touches to Marian's appearance. Sir Edward was to go to the castle and try and act against the Sheriff during the King's arrival so he would not be attending the wedding. He waited silently by the carriage for Marian to approach. Outside many villagers from Knighton had gathered to wish Marian luck for her new life as Lady Gisborne. Flower petals were thrown in the air and floated down upon Marian making the whole picture looked beautiful for everyone to witness apart from the few people who knew the whole story of the wedding and the heartache it was causing.

As the carriage approached Locksley Edyn gave Marian a small smile and said, "You look beautiful." Marian tried to return the smile but Edyn could see it was a struggle. Outside the church they could see Sir Guy walking towards the carriage as it came to a stop. Edyn stared at him curiously as she climbed out and offered her arm to help Marian. Sir Guy was quickly ushered inside and Edyn found herself having to leave Marian after straightening her dress and ensuring Marian looked as perfect as she could before she headed inside the church to await Marian's entrance.

Throughout the ceremony Edyn noticed she spent the majority of it staring at the floor mulling over recent events. She gasped when she heard the bells sound loudly and Much's voice echoed through the church as he called the wedding to halt. From his babbling as he struggled against the guards who tried to hold him down they all soon learned that the King that was arriving in Nottingham was not in fact the King, a pretender organised by the Sheriff. There was a panic as Marian tried to leave to go to her father. Roughly Sir Guy had grabbed her arm and persuaded her to remain at his side. Edyn closed her eyes with sorrow as Much was dragged from the church still shrieking and yelling before a splashing sound was heard.

She got the surprise of her life when Marian removed her ring and placed it on her right hand before she mustered what strength she had and swung her fist into Sir Guy's face sending his falling to the ground. Marian then ran from the church, catching Edyn's wrist as she ran past and the two of them ran into the warmth of the sun. They looked up to see Robin galloping towards them. The smile that spread across Marian's face was the first genuinely happy expression that Edyn had seen in quite a while.

Marian didn't even hesitate as she clambered up on the horse behind Robin and the two of them galloped off towards the direction of Nottingham. "Edyn!" She turned to see Much swinging himself up onto a horse and offered a dripping wet hand to her. She gladly accepted and sat behind him and clutching the back of the saddle tightly as they followed the figures of Robin and Marian through the dust.

Arriving at Nottingham they split up before Marian suddenly ran back to Robin. He leant down in the saddle and the two of them met each other with a kiss. Edyn smiled widely at the two of them as they broke apart and Marian quickly ran back to her and the two of them headed towards the east gate of the town.

By the time they had managed to get passed all the guards at every entrance Robin and his gang had already caused havoc in the Great Hall. Marian instantly went to her father's side and Robin's gang all stood at the top of the stairs staring in admiration at the commotion they had caused. Robin winked in Marian's direction before they all departed and Edyn felt Marian's hand grab her own. The two of them shared a smile. For the moment, everything seemed good again and Edyn wanted to hang onto this moment as long as she could.

**A:N/ **_**I rushed to have this done quicker than normal because I'm itching to start on the second series. It's a lot more exciting and most of the idea's I had in mind when I first started this take part in the second series so I hope the next few chapters don't disappoint. Apologies for the ending being a bit dodgy, I couldn't think of how else to finish it… **_

_**I know I've spread these last two chapters out over several days but I felt I had to so it would seem realistic, from what I can gather from the show there is no mention of how many days have passed, if any at all. To me it looks as if everything from Robin getting Pitts right up to Sir Edward organises the rebellion against the Sheriff happens all in the one day. I know I'm blonde but I didn't realise that much could happen all in 24 hours – so I tweaked it a little.**_

_**Please feel free to let me know if there are some bits that seem odd or you don't like. I want you all to enjoy it as much as I am writing it, so please review. And as always thankyou to my reviewers! **_


	12. Chapter 12

Almost two months had passed since Marian had run out on Sir Guy at their wedding. For almost two months there hadn't been a need to visit the castle, they had not received unwanted visitors and most importantly they had been able to see a lot more of Robin and his men. Since the horrid incident in the caves Marian and Robin were now no longer hiding their feelings for one another and often Robin would find ridiculous excuses to come by and visit Marian.

As Marian and Sir Edward were no longer welcome in the castle Edyn was often sent to run errands in Nottingham for them. She enjoyed the ride and it gave her time to drop in on Sybil. She was in fact with child and as the weeks went by her belly was now beginning to swell and become obvious to those who still hadn't heard the good news. It came as a shock to Edyn as every time Sybil spotted her she would reach for Edyn's hand and place it upon her stomach with pride to show her how much her baby was growing. Again, Edyn couldn't ignore the jealousy she suddenly felt whenever her hand rested upon the unborn child. As it was now in the peak of summer Sybil often complained that the heat made her discomfort almost unbearable.

Sir Edward too often suffered from the heat. Some days he struggled to get out of bed and Marian and Edyn would both take turns to see to him. One particular night Sir Edward was feeling much more energetic and insisted he should have his evening meal out in the main room as he would normally. He was unaware that Marian had snuck out her window earlier. Now that she no longer had to worry of Sir Guy's unexpected visits she found she had much more freedom and would dress herself as the Nightwatchman almost every night. When Edyn explained this to Sir Guy as she sat his meal in front of him he simply rolled his eyes and grinned.

When Edyn returned with a goblet of wine for her master she heard movement and muffled voices up in Marian's bedchamber. Edyn grinned but Sir Edward remained completely oblivious, as he was a little hard at hearing due to his age. Probably a good thing as no father would want a young man in the bedchamber of his unmarried daughter, no matter who that man was. The remainder of Edyn's night was to spend cleaning the kitchen and preparing for the next day. Recently, Janet and her son had moved away with her late husband's family up north and Edyn had found herself very strained with the extra tasks that were now required of her. She sighed, even with Janet's eccentric personality and appearance she still missed her.

There was then a banging on the door and Sir Guy's menacing yell quickly followed. Edyn hastily placed the pot she was cleaning on the bench and went to the door. The front door burst open at the same moment Edyn entered the room. If she thought Sir Guy was terrifying before she had no idea what he really was capable of. His cold eyes scanned the room and he jerked his head towards Sir Edward instructing one of his men to restrain him. Instantly the soldier had his sword resting against Sir Edward's neck. Instinctively Edyn went to his side but before she got any closer she felt a strong hand grab her by the throat painfully. She spluttered and gagged as the guard had almost completely closed her airways, using enough pressure so she could still breathe, but only just.

Sir Guy was roaring at Marian to come down. The longer she took the more terrifying he became slamming his fist down on objects and continuously sending Sir Edward dark stares as if he would be able to influence how quickly she would come to them. Finally, she emerged and Sir Guy seemed to release all the anger he had bottled up since she had rejected him. Edyn couldn't focus on the words as the hand around her neck gripped her tighter to point where she whimpered and desperately pulled against his hand. But the pressure remained and he dug his stubby fingers into her neck painfully.

Finally it seemed Sir Guy had heard enough of Marian's pleads and seized the torch a nearby guard held. He merely glanced at Marian before he smugly set the curtain's alight followed by several other flammable objects. Marian's shrieks echoed around the burning house before they were all roughly shoved from the building.

Sir Guy happily mounted his dark horse and the guards that held them escorted them all the way to Nottingham Castle. The trip was long and tiresome as Sir Edward struggled to keep up, his guard shoving him angrily as he lagged. Upon arriving at the castle Edyn was taken away from Marian and Sir Edward and Sir Guy barked at the guard holding her, "Take her to the kitchens! Maybe the cook will find some use for her."

Edyn felt lost and disorientated. By the time they had reached Nottingham it was already the early hours of the morning and the castle cook was already awake and preparing the morning meals. Typically, Edyn was given the worst jobs and the other kitchen maids all laughed gleefully at their new scullery maid. She was at the bottom of the pecking order at the taunts she was receiving was just the beginning. She dreaded to think what else she would have to endure from these people. Cruelty it seemed passed from the Sheriff and onto those he ordered about.

She continued to remind herself that soon Marian would come and get her; she wouldn't leave Edyn to suffer like this. Over the last few months especially they had become much closer than what they had been. But her tiny speck of hope soon shattered as she overheard two of the kitchen maids talking about how Lady Marian and her father were now being held under house arrest, losing their freedom and rights. With that thought hanging over her Edyn continued her degrading jobs with a heavy heart. It seemed Marian wouldn't be able to save her from everything.

But as the day drew on Edyn nearly cried out with joy when she noticed Marian squeezing her way through the kitchen. She caught Edyn's arm and began leading her out of the overcrowded room. "I persuaded the Sheriff that you should be allowed to continue to see to myself and my father," Marian told her. "It took a while but after I explained that he wouldn't want his own servants seeing to us, he then almost insisted that you be brought back to us."

"I must admit, this is a huge relief," Edyn replied. "Is it true that you and your father are being held under house arrest?"

"I'm afraid so," Marian sighed.

"Under what grounds?"

"The grounds that my father respects King Richard and not the Sheriff and Prince John. He wants to be able to keep an eye on us and ensure we cannot plan another rebellion against him. Well, that's what I could gather from what he was saying," Marian said. "It had been so quiet for so long, I thought Sir Guy and the Sheriff were finally going to leave us, but it appears I was wrong. They were only biding their time, thinking of a way to truly hurt us," Marian continued to muse.

"We should have known something was building. They never simply stand aside and watch someone get what they want," Edyn commented. Marian remained silent but nodded her head sombrely.

"Edyn, I want you to go to Knighton and see if anything can be salvaged. And see if the horses got out. It makes me sick to think they were all locked in the burning stable." Marian shuddered.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, I put them in the field last night. Worst case scenario they may have gotten loose but I doubt they would have been hurt in the fire," Edyn reassured her.

Marian smiled before she sent Edyn away. She may be under house arrest but Edyn wasn't, and the Sheriff hadn't thought that this would come as an advantage to Marian.

Without her horse, the trip to Knighton took much longer than normal. Edyn yawned as she walked, having not slept at all the night beforehand and now she was away from the stressful environment of the castle kitchen her tiredness was finally catching up with her. She stopped as she came to where the great house that was Knighton Hall once stood. All that remained standing were a few of the structures and the fireplace from the main room. Everything else was just a pile of rubble.

As she got closer she noticed a few villagers all digging around what remained. It took a moment before it clicked – they were searching for any valuables that may have survived the blaze. "Hey!" Edyn yelled as she ran towards them. There were a few gasps and one small girl even screamed as all they fled the wreckage.

Anything Marian wanted Edyn to find would have been long gone. Still, she spent at least an hour turning over bits of woodwork and digging through the ash and rubble. Occasionally she came across an old pot or wine goblet, none of which were of any value so she simply set it aside for someone more needy to come along and claim. She smiled happily when she came across a valuable belt buckle of Sir Edward's and a few other objects, but little else after that. She was just about to give up when she came across something hard and solid under the debris. As she dug through it she found Marian's boot chest. Its hard wood that had been covered in a thick lacquer was a little scorched but surprisingly mostly undamaged from the fire. She knew Marian would be uninterested in any of her shoes but she also knew it was where she kept her small jewellery box. She grinned widely as she pulled the tin box from where it was buried amongst Marian's shoes and let out a little laugh to find everything still inside. Most importantly, Marian's mother's wedding ring was still there.

Satisfied that there was little else to be found, Edyn placed everything in the bag she had with her before she went to see if the horses had gotten out or not. In the small field that situated behind the now destructed house Edyn found a small section of the fencing burnt, the hole was large enough for a horse to easily get through. She sighed, doubting they would still be in the paddock but she began walking through the field none the less just to be sure. When she climbed over the hill she repressed a gasp. Of the four horses that usually resided at Knighton Hall two of them still remained, lifting their heads up while waiting by the empty feed buckets Edyn would fill each morning. Marian's grey horse and Sir Edward's mount were nowhere to be seen, but the horse Edyn had claimed and the dark horse Marian chose to ride during her escapades as the Nightwatchman were both waiting impatiently to be fed.

"You greedy, boys," Edyn laughed as she approached them. They were both jumpy and their coats were mattered with sweat from the fear of the fire the night beforehand, but other than that they were not harmed. Quickly she ran back to the stable wreckage and couldn't believe her luck when she found an old piece of rope, which she then cut in half to make two makeshift halters. She then made sure the two missing horses were in fact not there before she pulled a few apples from a nearby tree to coax the horses to her. It didn't take much for her mount to approach her but Marian's took much longer. Finally she had them both caught and was about to head back to Nottingham when she paused.

She was so exhausted and dreaded to walk back, especially carrying a heavy bag and leading two horses. She then surveyed her blood bay horse, Duke, as she had recently named him for her own amusement. She had never ridden bareback but she had seen many do it before. How hard could it be? It wasn't long before she did realise how difficult it could be. Once she had managed to climb on top of his back she shifted uncomfortably. She had never realised how bony his spine was and she had no choice but to sit on it. Still worked up from the night before he pranced around on his feet and snorted and she quickly realised how much more difficult he was to control without a bit in his mouth. "Cut it out!" she growled at him as she tried to get him close enough to Marian's horse to untie him. After several more minutes, an awkward fall and some very unladylike language Edyn finally was on her way to Nottingham astride her horse and leading Marian's beside her.

Her horse had always been jumpy and usually she didn't mind much able to balance herself with her stirrups, but today without them she was about to scream at him as he continued to shy at shadows and strange noises. Each time she would slip to the side and struggle to regain herself. One such instance, something spooked him from behind and instinctively he leapt forward, Edyn slipped back and the horse she was leading stopped in its tracks, gawking at whatever had scared her horse in the first place pulling her even further back as she refused to let go of the rope. Her instincts were to grip tighter with her legs but by this point she was so far back she was squeezing his flanks. With a kick of his back legs he sent Edyn forward, her arms wrapped around her horse's neck and there was a moment where she thought she was going to hold on but when she felt his muscles bunch again for another pigroot she simply gave up and let go, falling to the side and watched the two horses skip a few steps away from her. "Duke! What did you do that for?" From where she sat in the dirt she scowled at the young horse, which simply stared at her with big brown eyes as if she were the silly one for falling off.

Heaving herself back to her feet she lightly rubbed where she had landed on her backside. "Ouch." She then heard laughter behind her and she was about to yell at whoever it was, but when she turned around she was surprised to find Will smiling at her.

"You alright?" he asked, clearly holding back from laughing again.

"I'm fine!" she turned away to hide her face as it grew red with embarrassment. Everything seemed to get worse as now the horses were even more jumpy becoming impossible to catch. Duke she managed to grab a hold of his rope as he pranced passed her but Marian's horse was annoyingly stubborn. Will then approached an offered help quickly catching the jittery horse. Edyn couldn't take her eyes off him as he gently ran his hand down its neck and quieted it down by softly muttering to it words of nonsense.

"Thank you," Edyn said finally allowing herself to smile. He returned the smile and nodded his head. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Robin went to the castle to check on Marian so we all decided to make some deliveries while we waited for him," he explained.

"So you've heard she's under house arrest?"

He looked at her. "No. I mean, we knew something was up but we didn't know what exactly. I just came from Knighton Hall."

"You mean what's left of it," Edyn said sadly.

Will lead the horse closer and surveyed her more closely before his eyes went wide. "Your neck!"

"What?" Edyn asked confused instinctively bringing her hand up to it. It was still quite tender from the guards grip the night prior. "Oh, I'm guessing there's a little bruising then."

"I'd say more than a little," he responded, his eyes narrowing slightly. He moved his hand closer and Edyn's breath caught when she thought his hand was going to touch her. His fingers were about an inch from her skin before he hesitated and let his arm fall back beside him. "Does it hurt?"

"I completely forgot about it if I'm honest," Edyn replied feeling slightly deflated. _Should have gone for the sympathy,_ a small voice in her mind said.

They were silent and Edyn cleared her throat to break it before she said, "I should probably head back to Nottingham." She turned to Duke but then reconsidered. _Maybe not a good idea…_

"You're not going to ride?" Will asked as she took the other horse from him remaining on foot.

"I'm thinking I should give up before I hurt myself too much."

He shook his head. "Let me help you."

"What?" Edyn questioned as he moved closer and cupped his hands in front of him. Edyn hesitated. "I don't know…" He simply looked at her and she just couldn't resist, it was an excuse to stay talking with him longer. Timidly she placed her left foot in his hands and pulled herself up onto Duke as Will helped lift her. He surprised her with how easily he had lifted her; she had never thought him as strong and muscly but she wasn't exactly the lightest person and it didn't even seem like a strain to him at all. Her musings were cut short as he began instructing her. "You need to sit further forward. Up here." His hand rested just behind Duke's withers.

"But it hurts when I sit there," Edyn said remembering how bony that part of Duke's spine was. Will simply looked at her and raised an eyebrow. It then occurred to Edyn that a man was probably not the person to be saying that to and she found herself also holding back from laughing. "Okay, wrong person to be arguing with." He simply nodded his head and she couldn't help but giggle.

She then repositioned herself and tried to ignore the discomfort as Will continued. "Sit your legs further forward. Your legs are never straight when you have stirrups so it shouldn't be different without them." Edyn's heart began racing as he gently placed his hands on her calf and positioned her leg so her knee was slightly bent and her lower leg sat in the dip between Duke's shoulder and his belly. "See," Will said looking up at her, "much easier."

"Thank you," Edyn muttered, still excited by the fact Will's hands had not yet left her leg.

It looked like he was going to say something more to her before he closed his mouth and removed his hands. "I should go. Here." He handed her the rope of the other horse and with a nod of his head he left her, disappearing into the trees of Sherwood Forest. Edyn exhaled sharply. Had she done something wrong? _He loves Djaq_, the annoying little voice in her head reminded her. How could she forget? But sometimes she honestly did feel as he may someday return the feelings she felt for him, but then she would suddenly remember the beautiful Saracen that lived with them in their camp. She felt her hands tighten into fists around the ropes she held. Why couldn't she be happy? For more than a fleeting moment at leased.

Her trip back to Nottingham was long and slow, she didn't care if she got scolded at for taking so long, she needed the time to herself to think, to clear her mind. Inside the town she kept her eyes low, concentrating on the cobbled ground beneath the horses hooves. When she looked up she was surprised to see Marian ducking out between houses suspiciously. "My lady?"

Marian suddenly spun around and relaxed when she spotted Edyn. "Oh, Edyn."

Edyn slid from Duke's back and moved to stand beside Marian. "How did you get out of the castle? Did you– Are you alright?" she asked as she took in Marian's red-rimmed eyes.

She gave Edyn a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I just had a bit of a scare that's all." She then explained to Edyn how close Robin had been to being killed. "I honestly thought I'd lost him," Marian shaking her head.

Edyn then took the horses to the stables and had the stableboy give them a good brush and some feed while Marian snuck back into the castle unseen by the guards. Edyn then met Marian back in her bedchamber and showed Marian the few items that she had managed to find. She seemed very relieved when Edyn produced the jewellery box. "I can't believe with everything that would have been stolen, this went unseen."

"Well in all truth, my lady, I couldn't believe I found it at all. It was buried deep," Edyn told her.

"So it's really gone? Nothing can be spared from it?" Marian asked sadly.

Edyn slowly shook her head. "I'm afraid not. There is very little still standing; most of it is just rubble."

"Very well then. It seems the move to the castle is indeed permanent." Marian sighed. "You seemed to be gone a while."

"Oh, yes. I err, I wanted to make sure I had searched through as much as I could. Also, the horses were a little reluctant to come to me. I didn't even notice what time it was as I rode home, it was all rather distracting."

Marian nodded her head; a smile was playing at the corners of her mouth. "How is Will?" Edyn turned to her and stared at her with wide eyes. _How did she know?_ "There is only one thing – person I should say – that distracts you to the point that you start to babble. Don't be ashamed of it," Marian reassured her. "It's about time he noticed you."

"Oh, no, he doesn't. He simply helped me catch the horses," Edyn admitted.

"Oh, I see," Marian said and gave her a sympathetic look. Edyn looked away, she knew Marian was only trying to help but it made her feel worse, pathetic really.

"I'm fine," she told Marian. "Really." Marian slowly nodded her head and anyone could see she didn't believe Edyn, even she knew she didn't sound convincing.

Later that night as Edyn lay in the servant's quarters she mused over how everything had changed so much since she had left Locksley. She always complained that she wished her life was more exciting but now that it seemed it was, she didn't know if she wanted it anymore or not. Things were so much more complicated since she had left. But maybe that was life in general. She still would be jealous of Sybil, she would still despise Sir Guy and the Sheriff, and she most definitely wouldn't be any closer to Will. _I shouldn't be dwelling on what I could have and instead be thankful for what I have already_, she told herself angrily. She had a job, a roof over her head, food in her stomach and she was healthy. What exactly did she have to complain about? "Exactly," she muttered aloud to herself before she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.

**A:N/**_** Yay, series two! Not my best I know but this is my least favourite episode out of all three series (although I do still watch it for a shirtless Allan *drools*) so hopefully the next will be much better. I hope you all liked the little Edyn/Will moment. If I'm honest her fall is exactly like the one I had when I first rode bareback, the second horse included, except I didn't have a gorgeous outlaw come to my rescue, damn!**_

**Song Inspiration: Let It Burn – Red.**_** You've got to listen to this song it's amazing! If I'm honest I was only listening to it while I wrote because it had the word burn in the title which seemed appropriate for the fire scene, but when I actually listened to the lyrics I was amazed by how perfect they fit to how Gisborne would be feeling after Marian rejected him. It goes on about how she deceived him and is now hiding so now his love has turned to violence. Sound familiar? **_

_**I love my reviewers so please tell me what you think =) Oh, and sarah0406 I noticed you've been asking about Djaq and Edyn, and yes I'm trying to spend a little time portraying their differences, which is why in previous chapters they've been very unsure of each other because they are total opposites, but after the cave scene I figure they're slowly starting to respect each other, seeing past each others flaws as their good qualities become more obvious. I hope that made sense. **_


	13. Chapter 13

As much as Edyn despised working in the castle where she believed the devil's spawn resided she did have to admit to herself there were some advantages to her new lifestyle that she enjoyed. She no longer had to cook or wash pots or any other jobs she usually tried to avoid. As Marian's maid she was only required to clean her and Sir Edward's chambers, help Marian dress and ready herself for the few trips into town and bring her and her father's meals to them whenever they refused to dine with the Sheriff, which not surprising became a regular occurrence.

With all her free time she found herself regularly going back and forth from the castle not only sending messages between Robin and Marian but to also check in on Sybil who was slowly becoming immobilised by her swelling baby bump, as well as to spend time with her brother. Lately he had been acting odd and it made Edyn slightly nervous. He had never kept anything from her but she got the feeling he was now.

Late one afternoon she was slowly heading back to the castle after seeing Sybil. She had been ecstatic that the night prior she had felt her baby kick for the first time. Edyn was amazed someone could prattle on about something so trivial for so long. As she passed the Trip Inn she kept her head down and focused on where she was headed when she couldn't help but notice someone leaving it suspiciously, glancing over his shoulder before pulling his hood up to cover his face.

"Allan?"

He spun around quicker than she thought possible, his hand instinctively went to his sword and froze when he spotted her. "Edyn! What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I- I was just heading back to the castle," she said slightly taken back. "Calm down, I'm not going to tell Robin you snuck in to the Trip for a drink."

"What? Oh, right. Thank you," he rambled nervously.

"Well, while you're here, could you tell Robin that Marian wants to speak with him? She's got some information that might be very useful to you all. I find it hard to locate Robin at times. I have to try and catch him when he comes into town and I have no idea where your camp is now. I heard you have a permanent one now," Edyn said.

Allan seemed to ignore what she babbling on about now; his focus was on what information Marian had. "Do you know what Marian has to tell Robin?"

"Of course, but I thought she'd want to tell Robin herself," Edyn responded recalling Marian telling her all about the Sheriff's new strongroom.

"Well, we might as well save time and you can just tell me. I'll give Robin the information when I get back to the camp," Allan pushed.

Edyn's eyes narrowed slightly. Was she imagining it or was Allan acting odd. "I'm sure Robin's not going to mind much about wasting time, you and I both know how often they find ridiculous reasons to have Robin sneak into town to talk with her. At least now they have a proper excuse."

"But–" he stopped himself seeming slightly deflated. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'd better go tell Robin he's wanted by Marian." He went to leave without another word.

"Allan," Edyn called him back. "Are you alright? You seem a bit… jumpy."

"I'm fine, I just – Well… You know Robin, probably would frown on me stopping in at a tavern after my drop-offs, you know?" Edyn smiled and nodded at him. "Best keep it quiet, yeah?"

"Of course," Edyn agreed before they both turned and left.

In the days that followed the Great Hall had been blocked off as the Sheriff was preparing gaming tables for a German guest they were about to receive. Poor fool had no idea what the Sheriff was capable and whatever money he was to bring with him to gamble with he was almost certain he would not be leaving Nottingham with any of it.

Edyn was not at all surprised when Marian was called to the Great Hall the day before their German guest was to arrive. She was however surprised when she was told by a guard to remain in Marian's chambers before she received a knock on the door and a young serving girl stood before carry a black and gold gown.

"I'm sorry, but Lady Marian is not here at the moment," Edyn said as she surveyed the nervous girl. Clearly she was new to the castle. "Do you wish to leave a message?"

"No, miss. This is for you. The Sheriff requires you to wear this tomorrow evening for when the Count is to play at the tables," she said to Edyn.

Edyn frowned and accepted the dress and noticed the girl was also wearing the same garment. "We are to wear a uniform now?"

"Only while the Count is here. Gold apparently is his favourite colour and all his servants are required to wear similar clothes when they wait upon him so the Sheriff wants him to feel right at home."

"Great, so if he doesn't win he can still look at us and see us as a prize," Edyn muttered.

The girl giggled timidly. "From what I've heard that is Lady Marian's job, but if she doesn't please him then I suppose you may be right."

"Lady Marian is the Count's prize?" Edyn asked shocked.

The girl nodded. "She's in the town buying for a new dress to impress him as we speak. The Sheriff ushered her out of the Great Hall before she had a chance to come back upstairs."

Edyn sighed. "It seems like we are all to be used as pawns for the Sheriff."

When Marian returned some few hours later she laid the new garments she had bought across her bed for Edyn to see. Edyn only had to glance at them to see how un-Marian-like they were – incredibly revealing and in Edyn's opinion quite cheap looking, though she knew they would have been made from the very best fabrics. "I'm surprised you're giving in to the Sheriff's demands, my lady," she said as she inspected the stitching closely.

"I have to," Marian said softly before she paused. "He's threatening my father's life, Edyn."

Edyn looked up at her and frowned. "Pardon? He wouldn't… Surely he can't. He–"

"He is the Sheriff of Nottingham! If he wants someone to be killed then they will be," Marian snapped suddenly.

Slightly taken back Edyn hesitated before she spoke. "You mean besides Robin Hood of course?"

Marian looked at her, her eyes still fierce with anger and Edyn was fearful she had spoken out of line as she often found herself doing, but she got relief when Marian gave in and let out a small laugh. "Yes, besides Robin Hood."

The following day Edyn spent her morning helping Marian dress and ready herself to welcome the Count. She was then required to wait in the Great Hall for Marian and the rest of the nobles to enter with the German. Not surprising, when they entered the Count was already fawning over Marian and Edyn soon found herself bored having to stand nearby and listen to him complement Marian on everything she said or did with his thick accent. She was very relieved when Marian excused her.

"No point the both of us bored senseless," she told Edyn. "Make sure my fire is still burning when I return, I'm considering feigning a headache in a few moments. This is unbearable."

Edyn thanked her and soon was back in Marian's chambers waiting for her. Surprisingly she waited for quite a while before Marian came bounding into the room. "My riding clothes, quickly," she said. As Edyn got out the clothes Marian needed she was told how the German was not quite the fool they all thought him to be and how he had agreed to help Robin steal the money from the Sheriff's strongroom. "You'll need to come also. Count Friedrich persuaded the Sheriff that we need no guards but it would be inappropriate if I were to been seen with a gentleman and no chaperon," Marian explained much more exuberant than what she had been earlier.

Once the three of them were in the forest Edyn hung back and allowed the two of them to talk and scheme as she glanced around at where they were headed. She had never been in this part of the forest and she wondered idly where they had built their new camp. As they approached a clearing Marian brought her fingers to her lips and gave out a sharp whistle for Robin and his men to hear. Edyn moved her horse closer and dismounted as she watched the gang all emerge from behind the many trees on the slope beside them.

Marian and Count Friedrich quickly explained their plan and Edyn got some amusement out of Robin's obvious jealousy of how friendly the Count seemed with Marian. By the end of the discussion Robin was committed but the rest of his gang remained unpersuaded convinced they were not yet ready to try and break into the strongroom. With Edyn's very brief knowledge on the matter she could not see a problem with them breaking into a room, they had done it many times before, what could be so hard about this one?

Later that afternoon back in the castle Edyn went to meet Djaq as she entered the castle with the rest of the servants and quickly lead her to Marian's chamber. Djaq changed into her attire while Edyn finished with Marian's hair. Marian was to meet Count Friedrich while Edyn and Djaq finished changing before helping the rest of the gang enter the castle.

There were still several minutes before they were to pass down the corridors with the rest of the serving girls and Edyn fiddled impatiently with her dress. The bodice was a gold corset, which she couldn't help but admire as it had now given her a noticeable waistline and the long black skirt made her look much taller than what she normally would, not to mention that the corset had now pushed what little bust she had higher making it look much larger. Even her arms looked long and slim in the black gloves the came up high on her arms. She was quite impressed with her appearance she had to admit. That was until she noticed Djaq fidgeting in her own dress. She was wearing the Count's official uniform disguising herself as one of his own servants and Edyn sighed as Djaq was now looking even more beautiful than what Edyn thought possible. Her boyish looks were now gone as her hair was slowly growing longer and she was wearing clothes that clearly showed her womanly curves. When she noticed Edyn staring at her she gave her a small smile. "The things we have to do never cease to surprise me."

"You do not enjoy getting dressed up?" Edyn questioned.

Djaq shrugged. "It seems like a lot of effort, especially as we get no enjoyment out of it but rather the men do. I do not like to see myself as an object. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I don't have pride; I respect myself, which is why I do not need to dress myself up to feel beautiful or loved."

Edyn was silent. Djaq had a good point and she did agree with it to some respects, but strangely she felt slightly offended by it. Though Djaq was completely unaware of it, she was in fact taunting Edyn, who at times did have to dress up to make herself look more appealing for the sake of having somewhere to live. Did that really mean she had no pride or self-respect?

As the two of them walked down the corridor leading the rest of the servants they passed Sir Guy who suddenly called them to halt. Edyn held her breath as he instructed Djaq to keep her master's goblet filled. She simply nodded her head and kept herself composed as she glanced at Edyn with her mouth twitching into a smile. How could she remain so relaxed? Edyn could already feel sweat beginning to moisten her brow.

They both then quickly ducked to the side and waited for the guards to approach. Edyn remained where she was hidden from sight and Djaq placed herself pathetically on the steps and hitched her dress up high revealing a majority of her perfectly toned thigh. Edyn was quite surprised by how carefree Djaq seemed even as she sat so inappropriately. She had to admit though, watching Djaq feigning her distress and striking the guards as they distracted themselves with inspecting Djaq's leg was quite amusing. When they fell to the ground Djaq quickly took the keys from the belt of one of them and turned to Edyn with a satisfied smirk on her face. "Men are so obvious!"

Edyn stifled her laughter as they ran out to the far side of the courtyard and unlocked the waste shoot. She remained standing so she could peer around the corner to the courtyard as Djaq tied the shoot door up and the rest of the outlaws began to climb through. Each one that dropped down on the ground beside Djaq did not even try to stop themselves from gawking at her as she remained as always completely oblivious, her mind focused on her task. Edyn felt jealousy surged through her like she had never felt before as Will smoothly climbed out and stood in front of Djaq, his eyes dropping straight to her breasts which were bulging from the top of her dress. "What?" Djaq demanded breaking his eye contact.

"Nothing," he muttered quickly shaking his head and moved away from her.

Edyn watched as he passed her without even a momentary glance. Maybe she didn't look as pretty as she had first thought. She then found herself looking down at her almost flat chest and sighed. Typically, Allan chose that moment to walk pass and he didn't even attempt to cover up his snigger. Angrily Edyn swung her arm and slapped his chest to stop his taunts. "Wha-? There is a violent side to you," he said laughing again.

She simply ignored him and followed as Robin led his men down the corridor to the strongroom. She came close to walking straight into Little John as he stopped in front of her suddenly. Glancing beside them she could see a plain door she had passed many times over the last few weeks. This was the Sheriff's strongroom containing his fortune? How idiotic she felt as she had merely thought it was nothing more than a storeroom that contained little more than a few brooms.

She then felt John's strong hands pull her back and she was about to open her mouth and questioned him when Robin squatted down and pressed on the stone nearest the door. It dropped a few inches with his weight and everyone leant away from the door and looked in the opposite direction.

"Where's the arrow?" Much asked.

"Arrow?" Edyn questioned.

"Traps," John told her.

"There can't be. I pass by here almost every day, as do many other servants," Edyn replied.

"They must disarm them during the day," Robin mused. "Will?" He indicated towards the door and cautiously Will approached and removed one of the wall stones from near the doorway. As soon as the stone was disturbed there was a whistling sound as a small arrow shot from the other side of the door and embedded itself in the bags that Will had slung over his shoulder.

Edyn let out a small shriek from fear and worry. That had been too close. If he hadn't had those sacks over his shoulder he could have been seriously injured, or even killed if he had been standing in a different position. The moment she had shrieked she had brought her hands to cover her mouth and Robin turned to her.

"Edyn! For God's sake!" he hissed.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I err, I think I'll go see how Marian's doing," she babbled.

"Good idea," Robin replied just as Will took a closer look at the arrow and sniffed it.

"Poison," he announced.

Edyn had seen and heard enough. She quickly turned and left them desperately trying to ignore how her hands were shaking uncontrollably and moved swiftly to the Great Hall. The next few minutes she found herself struggling to keep her hands steady as she poured wine for the nobles that were also gambling on the different gaming tables. "You all right, lovely?" she was asked by a much older man. How much this reminded her of when she was back at the Trip Inn. Strange to think that was almost a year ago that she had been there.

Djaq had now joined her and nodded to Marian indicating that Robin and his men were now in the strongroom. Edyn had been told that once they were inside they had only a count of one hundred and seventy to get the money out, and Edyn could safely say that it was the longest few minutes of her entire life. Keeping to the plan, Count Friedrich had lost his entire fortune on a single dice throw and put on an act to persuade the Sheriff of his sudden resentment towards Marian. Making it seem as believable as possible Djaq quickly followed her 'master' and Edyn went to Marian's side and the two of them headed for the door to look as if they were retiring to Marian's chamber when in fact they met both Djaq and Count Friedrich in the corridor and headed outside where the Count's men had already got their master's carriage ready to go. Marian and Edyn both waited by the door hoping not to be seen while they waiting for the others to arrive.

The castle alarm bell suddenly began to chime and they each looked at each other with panic. Luckily, not a moment later Robin appeared with the rest of his men all wearing the Count's official uniforms and carrying the many sacks of gold they had successfully stolen. Guards were running back and forth completely oblivious that the men they were seeking were standing right near them, hastily throwing the stolen money into the Count's carriage. As the remaining guards entered the castle Edyn and Marian quickly closed and locked the doors behind them so they wouldn't come bursting back outside.

Marian then approached Friedrich to express her thanks and Edyn stood nervously nearby, continuously glancing over her shoulder. When she looked briefly towards where Robin's men were standing she could have sworn she saw Will's eyes quickly divert to the ground the moment she faced him as if he hadn't meant to be staring at her. Although she was most probably mistaken she allowed herself to swell with happiness at the thought. Marian then moved beside Edyn as the carriage moved away and the two women giggled as both Robin and Little John swung a bag of coins above their head in victory. Finally, Edyn was once again beginning to feel as if she were a part of something meaningful, even if her part was small, she was still making a difference.

_**A:N/ Erm…not really much to say about this chapter, except that it was fun to write. Thank you to Sister-of-Tal-Kyrte for all your advice and kind words, as well as all my other reviewers! I really appreciate any help I can get so please feel free to offer anymore advice or constructive criticism; I hope there was at least a little improvement with this chapter, I'd already written it when I posted the last chapter so I tried to tweak it while editing, hopefully my next chapter will show some improvement =] **_


	14. Chapter 14

Several weeks after the break-in with the German Count Friedrich and Edyn was still feeling rejuvenated. She and Marian were continuously finding themselves holding back from laughter whenever they were in the Sheriff's presence and the strongroom was mentioned. Surprisingly Sir Guy still was keeping himself distant from Marian and Edyn was amazed at how long this had gone on for. It seemed he was determined to stay angry with her, which didn't bother Edyn in the least but Marian had mentioned a few times how it was now much more difficult to gather information for Robin. Because of this Marian had only heard about the Sheriff's new armour and the black diamond theft from listening from the outside of doors. She was then told about the boy being held to ransom as she was expected to be present at Locksley the next day for the exchange.

Back in her bedchamber she told Edyn what she had heard.

"So, Sir Guy is holding a young boy to ransom hoping he will get these stones back?" Edyn asked trying to fully understand the situation.

"Yes. From what I heard the boy and his friends were seen watching Guy testing the armour, and I'm assuming Robin went to rescue them and came across the rocks while he was at Locksley Manor," Marian explained.

"But he'll get the boy back, won't he?" Edyn asked unsure of what Robin's priorities would be in this situation.

Marian simply shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we'll know soon enough."

And she was right. Not long after Marian left to see to her father she returned to her bedchamber smiling widely and spinning an arrow through her fingers. Edyn instantly recognised the fletching as one of Robin's arrows and followed Marian out again not needing to be told that Robin was waiting for them in the town. Unfortunately due to the fact Marian was still under house arrest a guard trailed behind them closely. When Marian spotted Robin peering between several pieces of fabric at a stall she calmly handed a coin to the guard and instructed him to buy some bread. Edyn then stood several feet away from the two lovers as they quickly discussed the situation of the boy and she kept a constant lookout for the guard to return. It wasn't long before he came back in to view and glanced around in search of Marian.

"My lady," Edyn warned. Marian simply nodded her head and bid Robin goodbye, meeting the guard casually as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Edyn couldn't help but admire how Marian could put on all these little acts so smoothly.

"I have to think of a way to get the boy from Locksley," she whispered to Edyn as she pretended to inspect some trinkets on display at a nearby stall.

"Any ideas?" Edyn asked leaning forward closer to her.

With a sigh Marian muttered softly, "None. I have to think of something before tonight, hopefully I'll have something in mind then."

But as darkness fell that night Edyn watched worriedly as Marian continued to pace back and forth slowly becoming more and more frustrated with herself. She had then suddenly snapped her fingers. "I think I have an idea. Edyn, quickly help me ready myself."

Edyn did as she was instructed pulling out a flattering dress as she was requested and spent many moments fixing Marian's dark hair so that it sat perfectly and dabbed perfume on her neck and wrists. "Where are you planning on going?" she asked.

"I need to speak to the Sheriff. I'll need to prepare a pass first," she said and Edyn gathered that the second bit she was talking to herself more than to Edyn.

"The Sheriff? Please tell me you're not planning on seducing him so that he'll let the boy go?"

"Of course not!" Marian snapped. "I'll explain everything if I can get the Sheriff to give me permission to leave the castle." Once Edyn was finished Marian sat at her desk preparing two pieces of parchment and Edyn then got back to replacing the few items she had used to prepare Marian for her talk with the Sheriff back to where they usually resided.

"Right, let's go," Marian said standing up. "Can you have the horses ready for us? If everything goes to plan with the Sheriff we're going to need them."

"Where are we going?" Edyn asked but Marian simply brushed it off and left to go to the Sheriff's study. Strange that she only had one piece of parchment in her hands Edyn noticed.

Down at the castle stables the stableboys were long since gone for the day and Edyn had to saddle them herself, not that she minded much. It seemed so rare that she ever rode anymore, only when she found time to go to her brother in Locksley. She was just tightening the girth strap on her horse when Marian entered to collect her own mount, which was all ready and waiting for her. She gave Edyn a smile. "So far so good."

Once they were outside the gates of Nottingham Marian began explaining her plan to Edyn. "We've got to find Robin's camp. I've persuaded the Sheriff that I'm going to visit Guy so we'll have to stop there on the way back to make our story plausible but what the Sheriff doesn't know is that I made up a note saying that the boy is to be released to the castle for questioning and all things going well Guy will believe it as it has the Sheriff's official seal," she said proudly.

"Wha–? You really are more intelligent than any noblewoman I've ever heard of," Edyn said genuinely impressed by Marian's cunning scheme. "But who's going to collect the boy? If we go then the Sheriff will know that you're in league with Robin."

"Well, that's where I'm hoping one of Robin's men will step up. If he's disguised as one of the Sheriff's guards Guy probably won't even noticed who's standing in front of him, especially as he'll have the Sheriff's seal in his hand," Marian replied.

Edyn wasn't sure how long they rode for when they came to the same clearing they stopped at when the Count had accompanied them. Again, Marian whistled and they had to wait a short while before they saw Little John appear from the darkness. He then led them to the infamous camp Edyn had heard about and both her and Marian actually had to stop and admire it. It was truly amazing, even without being able to see all of it due to the lack of light, but what they could see was an absolutely perfect set-up for what they needed.

Edyn was still staring above her at the craftwork as she and Marian entered and she hadn't even noticed Will sitting to the side of the entrance working on what looked like some sort of box. "Do you like it?"

She looked across at him and smiled. "Very much. You must be incredibly proud of yourself."

He simply shrugged his shoulders. "It's not much, but it does the job."

Edyn sighed and shook her head at him. Why did he find it so hard to accept praise for his hard work? "Well, I still think it's absolutely ingenious."

She was overjoyed when she received one of his rare smiles, not enough so that she could see his teeth but it still reached his eyes making them appear as if they were twinkling, especially in the low light they had. How amazing he looked!

By now Marian had begun explaining her plan to Robin and his men and as Edyn already knew what was to happen she allowed her eyes to wander once more over all the little details in the camp. Her eyes then rested on the three figures all squeezed together on one of the many bunks. The boys the outlaws had rescued earlier that day she assumed. She was stunned by how young they were. When she had first heard about the situation she had automatically assumed they would be much older boys, adolescences at the least. But these boys were still quite young. One of them looked as if he was no older than eight or nine. Edyn then had the most uncomfortable feeling in her stomach when she thought how close they had been to being killed. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on what was being said. It appeared Allan had just volunteered to dress as the castle guard.

"You're a brave man," Marian was complimenting. She then turned to Edyn. "Well, we should go to Locksley before it gets too late. Good luck," she then called to Allan and Edyn gave him a warm smile for reassurance.

Arriving at Locksley Edyn was reluctant to enter wishing to be anywhere rather then in Sir Guy's presence, but when Marian and herself were escorted into the main room of Locksley Manor Edyn could not believe what sight was waiting for them and her intake of breath suddenly caught in her throat. Standing in the far end of the room Sir Guy stood shirtless altering some sort of armour he had around his arm while one of his servants was working on the armour on his legs. His focus was on his task and he had not yet noticed the two women enter the room and Edyn was glad as her mouth was now gaping slightly at the sight. Sir Guy was fit to say the least, more than she had ever imagined. His muscles were taut and noticeable and Edyn was amazed by the excitement she felt all of a sudden. When she glanced over in Marian's direction she could see in her expression she was feeling the same way, her eyes focused on his exposed abdomen.

Sir Guy then looked up at them and gestured for his servant to leave. The young man nodded his head and as he passed Marian and stopped to usher Edyn out of the room. "Miss, this way please."

"Y-yes, of course," Edyn stuttered as she followed him ashamed of her ridiculous expression she knew was painted across her face. She hoped Sir Guy had not noticed it; surely nothing would be worse for a noble like him than to have a servant staring at him as she had done.

She was then forced to wait in a side room where some of Sir Guy's men were lounging and talking quietly amongst themselves. This would have to be one of the few factors she loathed about her job. She liked to be busy, to be a part of things, not being shunned aside to wait by some pompous lord, no matter how good looking he suddenly seemed. _Wake up to yourself_, her mind told her angrily, _he's a horrid person!_ He was and she knew it, tomorrow he would be back to arrogant self and she would once again despise him above everyone, with the exception of the Sheriff.

Once Marian had finished speaking with Sir Guy the two of them left and waited in the forest for Allan and Robin to see if Marian's plan had worked or not. Edyn groaned loudly after they had been waiting for some time and Robin and Allan approached both looking extremely disappointed. As they got closer it was clear Allan had been knocked around a bit, his hair messed, his brow moist with sweat not to mention the reddish tinge to the left side of his face as if he had received a mighty blow. "Looks like we're going to have to try Mark's pitch plan," Robin whispered to them.

Marian only nodded and it was clear to Edyn she was more disappointed by their failure than what Robin and Allan had been. No one could be blamed but it still didn't make the situation seem any better. "I honestly thought this would work," Marian said as they rode back to Nottingham.

"I just can't believe Sir Guy actually noticed it was Allan and not a guard. He barely even looks at anyone else who he thinks is beneath him," Edyn said.

"It must have been something to do with the late hour. I guess it was quite suspicious to have a guard being sent to him so late," Marian mused.

Edyn nodded. "I think you may be right, my lady."

Standing outside in Locksley the next day Edyn and Marian waited patiently for the Sheriff's arrival and Edyn noticed her brother joining the crowd gathered. "May I, my lady?" she asked gesturing towards Henry.

"Of course," Marian replied and quickly she joined Henry where he stood.

"Shouldn't you be standing with Lady Marian?" he questioned as she approached.

"She'll be fine for a few minutes," Edyn smirked. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine. Busy, but fine," he responded.

"Busy? Have the people of Locksley had a visit from Robin Hood so they can afford to buy from you more often?" Edyn asked forcing herself not to laugh.

Henry chuckled. "You're not going to believe me, but I saw him yesterday. I actually saw Robin Hood in person!"

"What?" Edyn tried her best to mock her admiration.

"I know it's unbelievable! I'm assuming it was him anyway. I was walking through the town and a whole bunch of people came rushing passed me. It had to be him and his men as they were all armed and not a moment later the Sheriff and Sir Guy were demanding that he return a box to them or something," Henry explained beaming with excitement.

"I know many women in Nottingham who would love nothing more than to have a glimpse of Robin," Edyn said giggling slightly.

Henry's face slowly became serious. "Robin?" he asked her. "You speak of him as if you were old friends, on first name terms."

"Oh," Edyn tried to think of a response but Henry suddenly grabbed her arm tightly.

"Edyn, what have you been doing?"

"N-nothing! It was a slip of the tongue, that's all. Lady Marian often speaks of him before he became an outlaw, back when he was a boy. I must have picked up on her habits."

Henry surveyed her through narrowed eyes before he reluctantly released his hold on her. "Are you sure that's all it was, because if you were helping him in any way the Sheriff will kill you. You do know that right?"

"Henry, please don't stress over this nonsense!" Edyn snapped at him. She could see the Sheriff's carriage approaching from over Henry's shoulder. "I must return to Lady Marian," she said leaving him without muttering another word. She hated fighting with him, but she sometimes felt he still saw her as a young girl, instead of a woman she had now become. She had now survived without him for over a year, lived at three different places away from him and found herself two jobs in that time and yet still he treated her like a child unable to make her own decisions.

When she returned to where she had stood before Marian turned to her and asked under her breath, "Everything alright?"

"Yes, my lady," Edyn replied. "Everything's fine."

Sir Guy then approached from Locksley Manor to meet the Sheriff leading the poor boy roughly beside him. Edyn guessed the boy to be around the age of ten or so and her heart dropped at the sight of his terrified expression, not to mention the gashes on his hands from the shackles placed tightly around his wrists. Did they not show compassion to anyone? The Sheriff happily took the rope holding the boy as he climbed from his carriage and began to parade the boy around as if he were some useless old mutt calling out gleefully for Robin to show himself.

There was a moment or two of uncomfortable silence before Robin stepped forward and announced himself. Edyn could see her brother fidgeting excitedly at the sight of the most sought out man in all of Nottingham, and she had to force herself not to laugh at his idiocy.

Marian then suddenly made a scene about not allowing the boy to be released to an outlaw. Edyn desperately wanted to question her motives but she knew Marian would have a good reason, even if it weren't obvious to her. The three of them stood and watched the exchange and Edyn once again felt the disappointment roll over her as the Sheriff had obviously guessed the outlaws plan, quickly removing the stones from the flammable box Will had made to an old sack which he then handed to his smith. He had out witted them and Edyn wanted nothing more than to just scream out loud with frustration.

Her annoyance then quickly changed to fear at the sight of Sir Guy re-entering the scene dressed from head to toe in the new impenetrable armour. His target was Robin and a fight quickly erupted and it was obvious – even to Edyn who knew nothing of war or fighting skills – that Robin was clearly failing. She noticed Marian was clutching the boy tightly with fear. Edyn then kept her eyes low, not wishing to see any more of this spectacle. She refused to lift her eyes until she heard the definite sound of cheering. Utterly confused at what she had ignored Sir Guy was now covered in burning pitch and leapt into a nearby water trough. Instantly Robin was standing over him demanding a new deal: the black diamonds in exchange for Sir Guy's life.

Though the Sheriff got up from his seat and gestured for his smith to approach Robin with him he was not yet convinced. Robin then began to immerse Guy into the water only letting him up to catch a breath and call out to the Sheriff for help before he was pushed under again. Marian it seemed had had enough and handed the boy to Edyn. "Make sure he's safe." She then snuck up behind the smith and used his own knife to hold him now to ransom requesting that Guy's life be spared.

"No!" Edyn whispered wanting desperately to go to Marian's side and pull her away. Though she was helping Robin she was risking her own life to do it. Her plan worked it seemed but Edyn couldn't help but notice the Sheriff sneer something angrily to Marian.

Everyone then seemed to take their leave as Robin and his men the quickly disappeared back to the forest and Sir Guy, the smith and the Sheriff all headed towards Locksley Manor. Marian went to follow Sir Guy but stopped as she passed Edyn and the boy.

"Can you get him back to Robin?" Her voice was shaky from nerves.

"Of course, my lady. Are you going to be all right?" Edyn asked worriedly.

Marian gave her a small smile. "We'll soon find out." She then left Edyn and the boy and headed for where they could see Sir Guy angrily removing his remaining armour.

Reluctant to leave Marian Edyn then turned to where her horse stood at the side of the village. "This way," she said to the boy. Nervously he followed her. "What's your name?"

"Daniel," he replied looking up at her.

"I'm Edyn." She tried to give him a friendly smile. She was so nervous around children, what were you supposed to say to them? As they got to her horse she leant closer to him and whispered, "I'm taking you back to Robin, but you must not mention this to anyone, alright?" He nodded eagerly. He was suddenly much more enthusiastic at the thought of returning to Robin and his men. "Have you ridden before?"

"No, never," he answered.

"That's all right." Edyn heaved the boy unto her saddle and was amazed by how much she struggled. He was either much heavier than he looked or she was much weaker than what she thought; she hoped it was the first option. She then climbed behind him amazed that her saddle was large enough for the two of them to sit in, she hated sitting on a horse's rump, it always encouraged them to play-up and jump around unnecessarily. Finally, it seemed she had a reason for her tiny body shape_. _It may not be appealing to attract a man but it was practical to say the least. She doubted Djaq would have fit in the saddle with the boy.

Though she had her arms around Daniel to hold the reins she made sure she was not touching him so he didn't feel too uncomfortable. But when she clicked her tongue to urge her horse forward he let out a small yelp and grabbed her arm with one hand and the front of the saddle with the other. "You all right?" Edyn asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. I just didn't expect its movements to be so big," he replied. Edyn reframed from laughing. She remembered she had felt the same way when she had first sat astride a horse. It didn't take long for him to relax and by the time they entered the forest he was bravely leaning over to see how high they were, trusting the arm Edyn had clutched tightly around him wouldn't let him fall. Were all children so carefree and trusting? "Can we go faster?" he begged.

Edyn was reluctant. "You must promise you'll hold on, and tightly." He looked over his shoulder at her and nodded his head eagerly. "Alright," she agreed and tightened her grip around his midriff and shortening the reins she now held with one hand. Deciding it was best to bypass a trot where he would bounce uncomfortably she gave Duke a firm tap with her heels and he leapt into a steady canter that was easier to sit to.

Again Daniel let out a small cry, but soon he was cheering with excitement. "This is great!" Edyn did not share his excitement as she mustered all the strength she had to hold him tightly against her so he would slip off the side. She dreaded the thought of taking the boy to Robin with a broken arm.

Still unsure of where the camp was exactly Edyn decided her safest bet was to go to the clearing and figure it out from there. Once they arrived she still found herself unsure, she honestly had the worst sense of direction. "Do you know where Robin's camp is from here?" she asked Daniel as she pulled Duke to halt.

"We came from a different direction last time," Daniel said.

"Right," Edyn mumbled feeling a little foolish. "Hello?" she called out loudly. "Robin?" They then had no choice but to wait. "Anyone there?" Finally they saw a figure walking along the crest of the slope above them and gestured behind him before he began to approach them. It took a moment for Edyn to realise it was Will moving towards them and Little John had now appeared behind him.

"Hello," Will greeted them shifting the firewood in his arms.

"I was beginning to think no one was had heard us," Edyn joked.

"You obviously don't yell loud enough," John said smiling, as he got closer. Edyn then dismounted and John helped Daniel down from the horse. It seemed much easier for him than it had been for Edyn. "The others are waiting for you," he told Daniel and led him back up the slope to where the camp was hidden leaving Will and Edyn standing awkwardly.

Edyn cleared her throat wishing for something to say to pop into mind. "Err… I should probably leave. You all seem to be busy," she finally said unable to think of anything else better.

"No, stay. For a bit anyway," he told her. "We're hardly busy. Allan was cracking into the ale when I left to get some kindling. Come have a drink." Edyn was unsure. She desperately wanted to stay, she genuinely enjoyed the company of not only Will but the other outlaws as well, but she didn't want to force herself upon them. This was their life, their celebration of a long day, not hers. "I promise we will not expect you to serve the drinks," he added eyeing her cheekily.

Edyn laughed. "You've changed so much," she said shaking her head in astonishment. In all the years she had known him she had never seen him so playful, and she quite liked it.

"Oh," his face suddenly became serious again. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No! Of course not," Edyn reassured him. She hadn't meant it to sound so blunt. "It's a good thing. You just seem more… I don't really know how to say it," she confessed. "More confident… more happy," she finally concluded.

He seemed to relax a little. "I am happy."

She grinned at him. "I'm glad."

"So… are you going to come and celebrate with everyone?" he asked.

She looked over her shoulder back at the road knowing full well Marian would be expecting her, but it was still early in the day and for once she decided she wanted to enjoy herself and nodded her head as she turned back to Will. "Only for a short while though, Lady Marian will need me back later."

Back at the camp Edyn sat to the side with her drink and laughed happily amongst Robin's men. It all seemed so perfect. Though they were made up of the strangest people she had ever met, they were like the family she had always wanted and she was quite envious of them. Little John then approached her and sat beside her content to watch the younger members of the gang laugh and joke with the four young boys. "How do you like living in the castle?" he asked her after a few moments of silence.

Edyn shrugged her shoulders. "It has its advantages. But I do miss Knighton Hall."

"Terrible thing to have happened," he sighed.

Edyn simply nodded her head. "Robin must hate it now it's much harder to see Lady Marian. I know how much she does."

John smirked. "He's much more restless. But he's determined she will one day join him here, with us."

"Well, I say good luck to him. She won't leave her father, not for anything." Edyn look out to the sky and could see the sun was now beginning to sink towards the horizon. "But it looks like I do have to leave unfortunately."

She said her goodbyes to everyone and John offered to walk her back to where she had left Duke tied up. "Edyn, I do not mean to pry, but I don't want to see you get hurt…" he said as they both trudged down the slope.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I may not have been educated in any way, but I'm not stupid," he said and Edyn continued to stare at him utterly baffled by what he was saying. "You can't keep holding onto the hope that one day Will is going to return the feelings you have towards him." Edyn had now stopped walking and simply stared at him wide eyed. "Our lives are unstable, and no matter how much you may dream, even if he does feel the same way towards you, you are never going to have your happy ending with him."

"I- I don't understand. How did you–? What brought this on?" Edyn babbled trying desperately to decipher what had just been said to her and why.

"Like I said, I'm not stupid, and I'm certainly not blind. I see the way you look at him. You are a lovely, kind young woman. I'm sure one day someone will come along and I don't want you to push them aside because you're clinging onto hope that what you want will come to you."

Edyn began walking back towards her horse as she spoke. "Well, thank you for the advice, but I think you may have the wrong idea. I am fond of Will, but only as a friend. I've known him longer than the rest of you, that's all. I think you're mistaken."

"Am I?" he pushed.

"Yes!" Edyn said firmly determined to prove it, not only to him but herself as well. She reached for Duke's reins and led him down to the road. "Goodbye, John."

As she rode away she forced herself to take several deep breaths to calm herself. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. What was she hoping to achieve by fawning over Will? She could see no happily ever after that she had often read about when she was younger; real life didn't seem to be that fair.

_**A:N/ Okay, so that scene between Edyn and John was so not planned, it honestly just happened as I typed. Is it too weird? I mean, if anyone was going to tell her how unrealistic it is it couldn't be anyone but John right? When I was re-reading it just seemed to fit so I left it. For some reason I'm actually really nervous about posting this chapter and I don't know why… Please, please, PLEASE review! They make me so happy and giddy. And please don't feel you can't say something, if there are parts that don't seem right, or others that you love I really appreciate hearing about it, I really want to improve =) **_

_**Oh, and I have a D and M between Djaq and Edyn planned for much later, so I promise you will get a glimpse of what Djaq thinks of her, and I've been tossing up weather to have a chapter from Will's p.o.v. I'm still debating. What do you think?**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A:N/ Just for the heads up, this episode had been cut into two parts due to that fact I crammed way too much it, whoops! Anyways, hope you enjoy!**_

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><p>When Edyn returned to the castle later that day she forced herself to take several deep breaths before she approached Marian's bedchamber. Although she would trust her with her own life and had never kept anything from her there was something about what John had said to her that she didn't want to share. She was still quite wound up by the encounter and she couldn't tell if she was furious by his words or hurt by the truth of them. No matter how she looked at her situation, he was right.<p>

"I'm fine," she muttered aloud to herself before she pushed the door open. She was absolutely stunned by how she found Marian. She was furiously pacing back and forth throwing objects around her room while angry tears streamed down her face.

"My lady! What happened?" Edyn demanded as she leapt to Marian's side and grabbed her hand before she had a chance to throw the latest object she held in her hands. Though Edyn would never admit it, she dreaded the thought of how long it would take her to clean the room after Marian had calmed down, especially as she had only finished cleaning it from top to bottom the day before.

"They took him! My father!" Marian wept. "They've locked him in the dungeons because of what I did. Me! I am the one in the wrong and yet they punish him and not me!" She seemed to give up her fight as she dropped the brush she held in her hands and sank down pathetically on her bed.

Edyn slowly sat down beside her and placed a hand on her back. "We'll get through this. I'll ride out to Robin tomorrow and explain the situation. He will not allow your father to be treated like this."

"I know," Marian said wiping her face. "I think I will talk to the Sheriff in the morning, when I've calmed down. Maybe I'll be able to persuade him to reconsider. If that doesn't work then I'll tell Robin."

Edyn nodded her head but she knew there was no hope of changing the Sheriff's mind. He had been clever and thought of the only way to truly punish Marian. Her father was the only person she held dear to her heart. With the exception of Robin of course, but luckily the Sheriff was still oblivious to that.

Edyn rose early the next day to start to clean Marian's room. It her fit of rage she had managed to cause a lot of damage; broken bottles, torn curtains, ripped pillows which now spilt feathers everywhere, not to mention every object in the room was now splayed across the floor somewhere. "I'm sorry, Edyn," Marian said as she knelt down to help her.

"No, no, it's fine," Edyn reassured her. "You should go and see your father."

"Yes," Marian agreed. "I'm anxious to see him. They would let me see him, wouldn't they?"

Edyn shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly don't know. If not, you said that you wanted to speak with the Sheriff anyway."

Marian nodded her head. "I've called for Sarah to come and help you. It seems wrong for you to do this all yourself." Edyn smiled showing her gratitude. Sarah, Marian's previous maid from Knighton Hall was now a castle maid and occasionally when it was needed she was called up to Marian's room to help Edyn with certain tasks. She would be grateful for the help today. "I don't know what's keeping her though," Marian muttered.

There was then a knock on the door and Edyn was careful to stand in the gap to hide the destruction of the room. She found an elderly maid standing before her and not Sarah as she had been expecting. "I have a message for the Lady Marian's maid," the woman told her.

Edyn's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That's me."

"There is a young gentleman waiting outside who requests you go to him immediately. He's say it is at the utmost importance," the woman said seeming to be somewhat irritated by her tedious task.

"Oh, yes of course. Thank you!" Edyn rambled as she hastily closed the door. It wouldn't be Will, surely. Her excitement rose at the thought. What would he want with her? Her imagination went wild with different fantasies and scenarios and she reached for her cloak. "There is someone waiting for me outside, my lady."

Marian nodded her head. "I think I'll try and see my father. Keep a look out for Sarah while you're out," she quickly added.

Edyn nodded her head and left the room as quickly as she could. The temptation to run was unbelievable but she forced herself to remain at her normal pace. Outside though she couldn't stop herself from jogging down the stairs and she quickly scanned the area for a tall outlaw. Sadly she did not find him. In fact she didn't see anyone.

"Edyn!" she heard her name being called and before she even turned she knew instantly it was not Will's deep voice.

"Oh, hello," she said as she turned to face Marcus who rushed over to her. "Is everything alright? Is it Sybil?" she suddenly became distressed over her friend's welfare.

"It's a girl!" he puffed as he reached her.

"Wh-what?" Edyn stuttered as she tried to understand the situation.

"She had the baby, last night. Well, this morning really. She wanted you to be one of the first to see her," Marcus quickly explained. Edyn then took in his appearance. He was beaming proudly at her, although it was obvious he had had a sleepless night from his pale complexion and messed hair. "Will you come to her? She's hoping you'll be able to spare the time."

"Yes, of course," Edyn agreed, though she knew she was needed back at the castle she didn't care. Over the last few months she had dealt with Sybil's ups and downs with her pregnancy, not to mention her many mood-swings and she was eager to see what all the fuss was about.

Edyn was forced to jog to keep up with Marcus' fast pace. Obviously he was keen to get back to his wife and newborn daughter. Inside their small house Edyn and Marcus both crept silently into the bedroom and when Edyn spotted what was waiting for her, she felt her heart swell with delight. Beautiful as always, Sybil sat perched up against many pillows staring down admiringly at the tiny bundle she held in her arms. She looked up at Edyn's arrival and gave her the broadest grin Edyn had ever seen. Wordlessly Edyn approached her and sat herself on the edge of the bed to get a peek of the newest arrival to Nottingham. And with parents as attractive as Sybil and Marcus it didn't come as a shock that this baby was the most beautiful Edyn had ever seen. In truth, Edyn had always thought babies to be rather ugly, all wrinkly and pink, but something about Sybil's child was different.

"Oh, Sybil. She's gorgeous," Edyn gushed surprising herself when she felt her eyes prickle slightly.

"Edyn, meet our little Grace," Sybil announced proudly.

"Grace," Edyn echoed. "A beautiful name for a beautiful baby."

"We thought so," Marcus said sitting himself down on Sybil's other side.

Edyn smiled at them. "How was it?" she asked Sybil noticing the large bags under her eyes and her teased hair.

"Well, it was the most horrid thing I've ever experienced," Sybil answered honestly. "But it was so worth it," she continued looking down at her child once more. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Edyn said nervously. The tiny little girl looked so fragile, almost as if she was made out of porcelain and Edyn worried that she might hurt her.

"Come on," Sybil urged. "Hold out your arms."

Hesitantly, Edyn did as she was instructed and the small bundle was passed into her arms. Amazingly the baby did not stir from the movement and Edyn couldn't help but let out a sigh. She had always disliked children, yet the moment the tiny infant was placed in her arms she had a sudden feeling of longing. She had always been jealous of Sybil in many ways, and now she had herself a loving family, something Edyn had always wanted. She had never known what it was like to feel the love of two parents, to witness that love between them. Looking up she watched as Sybil leant closer to Marcus and rested herself against his chest while he encircled his arms around her. Edyn brought her eyes back to little Grace feeling as if she had interrupted something private. She then wondered what that felt like, to be in the arms of someone who you loved and to have them return that love. The closer she had ever been to that would have been with her brother. She had always felt safe in his arms, but she got the idea it was a completely different feeling between a family member and one's lover.

Not long after that Edyn left to allow Sybil to get some much needed sleep and she left with the image of the three of them all snuggled together painted firmly in her mind as a constant reminder of what she was without.

As she walked through the town glumly she felt her spirits rise slightly as she noticed several of Robin's men walking amongst the poor handing out coins and food. She greeted Much and Djaq happily and stopped when she spotted John. He gave her a meek smile and a slight nod of his head. Although she wasn't angry with him she still felt a little nervous in his presence. Without a asking a single question he seemed to pull all her deepest feelings and dreams from her heart and lay them out on the table, so to speak. But she forced herself to return the smile and nodded also, almost as if to tell him all was well.

She continued back towards the castle when she spotted someone familiar. No, two familiar faces. She did a double take as she watched in confusion as Dan and Luke Scarlett walked through the town following close behind Will. Edyn thought she had heard that they had left after Will and Luke's near execution. Will gave her a warm smile as he passed and Dan didn't even glance at her as he followed his eldest son. Luke, on the other-hand stopped and looked Edyn up and down. "Edyn?"

She smiled widely at the knowledge she wasn't forgotten. "Hello. What are you doing in Nottingham?"

Still baffled he merely gestured towards his brother. "Will. Why are you here?"

"I work in the castle now," Edyn replied.

"Bet you love being so near the Sheriff," he laughed.

Edyn scoffed. "Who wouldn't?" she asked jokingly.

Luke opened his mouth to say something further but was cut off by the sounds of a woman calling out frantically. Peering around Luke, Edyn spotted Sarah desperately running through the town with her young daughter Jess clutched in her arms. "Help me!"

"Sarah!" Edyn called as she ran to meet her fellow work maid. "What happened?"

Several more members of Robin's gang began to crowd around as she rambled nervously about her daughter catching some sort of sickness. "I think it's the pestilence," she announced as she passed Jess into Robin's arms. Instinctively Edyn took a step back. As a child she had regularly been sick having a poor immune system, which now resulted in her having a fear of ill people. Henry had once mentioned to her that he was surprised that she had reached adulthood at all being certain each time she fell ill it would be the end of her.

Dan squeezed closer to the poor girl and inspected her face and neck. "She has no swellings," he noted having some knowledge of the illness. His musings were interrupted by the Sheriff's arrival and they stood in silence as they watched as Marian stood up on the podium and announced the virus that had out broken from Pitt Street and that a quarantine would be put into place. Robin quickly instructed Sarah to take her daughter back home as the Sheriff then began to speak. When he finished Dan Scarlett unexpectedly stepped forward calling out his opinions in anger, informing the people that it wasn't a pestilence and demanding an explanation from the Sheriff.

The whole world then seemed to slow right down. Edyn noticed the guard only a fraction of a second beforehand but it was already too late; he stepped forward and sank his sword deep into Dan's back silencing him forever. She could hear cries and screams all around her but Will's seemed by far louder than anyone else's. She was just turning her head to search for him when someone pushed passed her roughly. Turning, she could see it was Luke sprinting towards where his father was falling to his knees. Moving as fast as she could she caught his arm and tried to pull him back but she had no influence on slowing him down. Thankfully Much leapt in front of him and used his body as a barrier to stop him.

"Let me go!" Luke cried not taking his eyes off the crumpled body of his father. "Dad!"

"Hey, hey, easy! Don't look at him. Look at me," Edyn muttered placing her hands on either side of Luke's face forcing him to take his focus away from the horror of his father's death. "Keep your eyes on me! Nothing else!" But Luke continued to fight against Much mumbling indistinct words over and over again. By now the Sheriff was talking to the crowd but Edyn paid him no attention. "If you go charging up there the Sheriff will kill you!"

"No! Get off! I have to…" Luke continued to struggle before he suddenly stopped, his emotions becoming too much for him.

Edyn dropped her hands to his arm. "Come on." She led him away from the openness of the street and closer to where the others were all trying to calm Will. Even Little John was having difficulty stopping him. "Here, we'll just wait here a minute." Much was watching him nervously and glanced over to where the rest of the gang were. "We're fine, Much. Go," she told him. He didn't need to be persuaded as he nodded his head in gratitude and moved to Robin's side.

Luke was now keeping his eyes focused on one spot on the ground, no longer paying her any attention. When she glanced over at Will again he seemed to have calmed down slightly. Djaq stood before him with a hand resting on his chest. Edyn hated herself for getting jealous at such an inappropriate time, but she couldn't help it. A moment later Will broke away from the group and headed in their direction to embrace his younger brother who still appeared to have gone into shock and roughly pushed Edyn out of the way. _Don't take it personally_, her mind told her. She desperately wanted to say something but nothing seemed appropriate. So she remained silent and watched in disgust as Dan's body was dragged away.

The sound of yelling and screaming could be heard again and she looked up to see the first of the barricades being placed across the entrance of Pitt's street. "Sarah," she muttered quietly to herself and moved closer. She then spotted her amongst the many people already trapped inside the condemned street all calling out for help. "Sarah!" Edyn called louder as she got closer and clutched Sarah's flailing hand. "You've got to get of there!"

"I can't! Please, you have to get help!" she begged desperately. "Please?"

Edyn then felt a hand roughly grab her arm and pull her away. "Stand aside, miss!" a guard growled at her.

She fought against him and clung to a beam on the barricade. "I will tell Lady Marian. I will get you help!" she promised Sarah before the guard brought his large arms around her waist and forced her to move away. Edyn could still hear Sarah's pleads but there was no way she could get closer to the barricades. It looked as if Sir Guy and the Sheriff had a large majority of their men putting the barricades in place.

Edyn scanned the area and Robin's gang had now gone leaving her with no option then but to return to the castle. She took off at a run and refused to slow down even as she entered the castle corridors. Maybe Marian would have an idea to help Sarah. Pushing the door open she found Marian pacing back and forth. "Did you find Sarah?" she asked.

Edyn nodded her head trying to catch her breath. "She's… in Pitt Street," she puffed. "Her daughter has… been affected."

Marian's eyes widen. "We must get them medicine. Quickly run down to your quarters and get one of your spare dresses. I will prepare what I will need."

"What are you–?"

"Edyn, please, go!" Marian ordered.

With a nod of her head she did as she was told and when she returned Marian quickly began to change into the blue dress the castle maids were required to wear. "I'm going to sneak out of the castle with the rest of the servants and try and get into Pitt Street. Do you know if Robin is there?"

"I suspect he would be. He promised Sarah that he and Djaq would go to her and when I looked back they were gone."

"Good. Now, I want you to go into the town and try and find out as much as you can about this pestilence. When did people start falling ill, were there any signs, that sort of thing," Marian said. "If I am not back by nightfall I will need you to cover for me. Make some excuse of why no one can see me, but avoid saying I'm sick. That will only make things far much worse than they already are."

"Yes, my lady."

They both departed in different directions, Edyn going the direct way out of the castle and Marian sneaking around the long way to try and avoid the areas that had guards posted. Once inside the town Edyn struggled to find anyone that would talk to her about it. Some seemed so fearful, almost as if talking about such a topic would ensure they would suffer the illness. Getting frustrated by people's reactions she surprised herself by cornering an elderly physician who seemed to be run off his feet from people believing they had now caught the pestilence.

"What is the meaning of this? I am a very busy man!" he barked angrily at her.

"Please, sir. I do not mean to keep you from your patients but I must hear all you know about this illness," Edyn said to him.

"Well, there isn't much to know. We've had no warning and luckily it has not spread further than Pitt Street. We should thank the Sheriff for his quick thinking in controlling the spread."

Edyn shuddered at the thought of thanking the Sheriff for anything. "But how can that be? Surely someone outside the street would be affected, they have been in contact with everyone until this morning," Edyn argued.

"I agree. But I have not come across a case yet," he told her.

"But what about symptoms? You were not called to Pitt Street at all the last few days?"

He shook his head. "You know everything I do, so if that is all I would appreciate if you would step aside!"

With a sigh Edyn yielded. None of this made any sense at all. A virus couldn't just occur over night, and it wouldn't have been confined to only one street when people passed through there on a regular basis. She leant back against a nearby wall feeling somewhat defeated. She had been interrogating people for what seemed like hours.

"You look like you've had a hard day," a young female voice suddenly sounded.

Edyn turned and was not expecting to find this particular person staring back at her. "Catherine?"

Catherine gave her a half smile. "Been awhile since I last saw you," she said and Edyn cowardly looked down at the ground. "Relax, I'm not here to make you feel bad. I actually have to admit I was a little impressed. I honestly didn't think you had it in you."

Edyn slowly looked up at her. "What do you want then?"

"I heard you were asking about Pitt Street and the pestilence," Catherine said. "It might interest you to know that I noticed Pitt Street received a visitor last night. They went to Pitt Street and only Pitt Street."

This caught Edyn's attention. "Who was it? Did you recognise them?"

"Oh, I recognised him, but like everyone I do not know who he is," Catherine continued driving Edyn mad with suspense. "It was the Nightwatchman," she finally announced.

"What?" Edyn questioned. "Are you sure?" Marian had not told her about going out last night, and surely if she had been at Pitt Street she would have mentioned it.

"I have to admit I didn't believe my eyes when I first spotted him, but no one else would be dressed as he was and passing out food parcels."

Edyn exhaled sharply. None of this was making sense but hopefully if Marian had returned to the castle the two of them would figure out what was really going on. "Thank you, Catherine. It seems I am in your debt."

Catherine shook her head. "No, I am repaying a favour. Since your little outburst Joe has not called on us. Not once. Even Gloria seems a little grateful if you'll believe it. We may have to please some of the other men on occasion but not as often. You scared him, Edyn. And I'm sure I speak for the other girls when I say nothing we do will repay you for what you did."

Edyn smiled. She had always been under the impression the others enjoyed their work, but now it seemed there was another side to them. Like her, they were scared. But they had not fought for their virtue; they had believed there was no other option but to simply give in.

She then bid her old work-friend goodbye and headed for the direction of the castle and noticed a familiar figure walking just in front of her. "Allan," she called to him.

He jumped and quickly spun around while glaring at her. "Do you always sneak up on people like that?"

"Apparently it's just you," she replied. "You did not go to Pitt Street?"

"No, Robin needed me to send a letter for him. I'm going to have to wait for them now. What you doing here anyway?"

"I'm trying to find out as much as I can about what's been happening," Edyn said.

"Any luck?"

"A little, but not enough for it to make sense," she said slightly annoyed.

"Hang on, they're coming out," he said looking in the direction of Pitt Street and pulling his hood up. Edyn noticed the gang all slowly approaching the castle carrying a stretcher with what she hoped to be a live person and not a corpse. Allan then quickly dashed to them and smoothly joined the group as if he had been inside Pitt Street with them. So as not to raise suspicion, Edyn decided to wait a few moments before she followed after them.

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><p><em><strong>A:N I'm really sorry I ended it there, but I had so many ideas for this chapter, by the time I finished it was already 14 pages long, and that's with size 10 font, eek! Not overly happy with this chapter but hopefully I will redeem it with my next one, I had so much fun writing it XD**_

_**Please, please, please review! I love to hear from you, and to hear your opinions and ideas. And ss15 thankyou so much for that great idea! I can't believe that never occurred to me, I'm desperately thinking for the ideal moment for the two of them to have a little chat as well as more moments with the gang… Thankyou everyone else that reviewed also! You have no idea how much I love you all =)**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A:N/ Part 2! Yay, hope you enjoy!**_

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><p>Edyn approached the castle a few minutes after the gang and soon spotted Marian sneaking back to her room. "My lady," she whispered as she approached. "I didn't find out much, but I did hear that the Nightwatchman was seen in Pitt Street last night. I'm assuming that wasn't you."<p>

"No, no. We already know. It was the Sheriff, he hired a poisoner who impersonated me but we've found a cure," Marian told her.

"Oh." Edyn felt slightly deflated after all her effort in finding that information, only to be told they already knew.

"Edyn, listen. Will is somewhere in the castle. We think he's going to kill the Sheriff and Robin and his men are searching for him as we speak. I want you to go and help them, you know the castle better than they do," Marian continued.

Edyn stared at her confused. "Err, of course, but…"

"Just go, Edyn. Please?"

"Yes, of course," she responded turning back to the stairs. If Will was after the Sheriff then he would surely be closest to the Sheriff's study and war room.

As she jogged along she ducked her head into each room just to be sure. She was about to turn into the next corridor when she heard Djaq's voice soon to be followed by Will's. Edyn paused. As horrid as she felt she was curious to know how close they were, if it was just friendship between the two of them or something more away from the prying eyes of the rest of the gang. There was then a shuffling sound and Djaq's voice demanding, "What are you doing?"

Peering around the wall column she watched as Will slammed shut a door before jamming his hatchet in the handle to lock it. "My dad isn't getting better!" he roared at her through the door.

Edyn brought a hand to cover her mouth as she withheld a gasp. In all the years she had known him she had never seen this side to him, his anger was truly terrifying. She waited for him to disappear down the corridor before she emerged from where she had been hiding and leant close to the door. "Djaq?" she whispered. "It's Edyn. Can you hear me?"

"Yes!" an irritated Saracen voice replied. "Get me out!"

Edyn was already ahead of her trying desperately to un-jam the hatchet. She grunted in annoyance as she struggled to get it to budge. Eventually she was beginning to loosen it. "I've almost got it!"

"Hurry!" Djaq hissed.

She then heard movement beside her and she froze with fear. What if it was a guard, or worse Sir Guy? Shaking with fear she slowly turned to face the new arrival. She had not expected to find Will towering over her, his eyes fierce with anger and she suddenly realised how terrifying he really could be. "Will…" She had forgotten just how tall he was having never being an issue before, but suddenly it was just another contributing factor to how intimidating he now looked.

"What are you doing?" Even his voice sounded different, deeper than usual.

"I- I came to get Djaq…" She then found herself shaking again.

"You should not have done that, Edyn," he said slowly and before she knew it he grabbed her arm and somehow managed to unlock the door and push her into the room containing a stunned Djaq. She was shoved onto Djaq as she tried to make her escape, colliding they both then fell to the ground as the door was locked once more and in the commotion Edyn had somehow managed to knock her head against the stone wall as she tried to regain her balance.

"Ouch!" she gasped bringing her hand to her eyebrow.

"Let me see," Djaq demanded slapping Edyn's hands out of the way. "It is only a small graze, no blood," she declared after only a moment.

Edyn nodded her aching head. "How are we going to get out of here?"

Djaq shrugged her shoulders. "I was relying on you."

"Sorry," Edyn muttered dropping her eyes to the ground.

Djaq shook her head brushing it off. "It is not your fault. Will is too overcome with grief to realise what he's doing."

"That's kind of you. Defending him when he just locked you in a room where a guard could come and find us at any moment," Edyn said prompting Djaq to speak her opinions of the young carpenter.

"He's a good person, he's just not thinking," Djaq replied.

"You two are quite close I've noticed."

Djaq shrugged her shoulders. "I get the feeling he hasn't been around many women and feels he has to be a bit protective at times," she said smiling.

"So… there's nothing between the two of you. I mean, forgive me for saying this, but living with all those men… You don't fancy at least one of them?" Edyn could no longer hold back her inquisitiveness.

Djaq frowned. "I haven't really thought about it."

Edyn nodded. "I'm sorry, but I had to ask. You must be able to understand my curiosity."

"I do. I'm sure if our situations were reversed I would be wondering the same thing."

_Phew!_ Edyn had been worried she had given her feelings away to Djaq. It was bad enough that John knew about it, she didn't want others picking up on it either.

They then heard the sound of movement outside and they both tensed, Djaq reaching for her sword and Edyn desperately tried to think of an excuse of why she was locked in a room with an outlaw. But when the door was pushed open Will was standing there looking in sheepishly with Allan and Much peering in behind him. "Djaq, quickly! We need the remedy!" Much babbled hysterically flinging his arms out to pull Djaq through the doorway.

As the members of Robin's gang all quickly disappeared down the hallway Edyn stopped and headed the other way. Surely they didn't need her help anymore and she was anxious to get back to Marian and hear about what had happened.

That afternoon after Edyn had finished her tasks she asked to be excused to visit her brother. She felt strange, almost like she couldn't decipher what she should be feeling, whether she should be angry or upset. She needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn't higher rank than her anyway. Just hearing Henry's voice would cheer her slightly.

She felt guilty as she pushed her horse to gallop the entire way to Locksley. When she pulled him up he was panting heavily with sweat and foam covering his body. "Sorry, boy," she muttered as she dismounted and lead him to a nearby trough. As he drank she removed his saddle and poured water along his back to remove some of the sweat. Pulling him away from the water so as not to get an upset gut from too much she slowly walked him around the town to get to her old home to cool him down.

As she passed the graveyard she noticed quite a few people gathered around a new headstone, although she didn't really think that word would fit it as it was no more than two planks of wood crafted to make a crucifix. She found Henry sitting outside enjoying the sun. "Who died?" she asked as she got nearer.

"Oh, hello," he said looking up. "It's for the poor fellow that died in Nottingham. I'm assuming you heard about it. He used to live here with his sons, what was his name…?"

"Scarlett," Edyn told him. "Dan Scarlett."

"Yes, that's the one. Shame, he was a good man. Pity about his son becoming an outlaw, must be such an embarrassment to the family," Henry continued to mutter.

"No!" Edyn stopped him. "He would have been proud of him. He is defending and helping those who need it. Just because the Sheriff tells us they are bad people, doesn't make them so."

"I agree," Henry said after a moment. "But it's still the fact if you get caught with them you are automatically endangering yourself."

Edyn decided to leave it there. She didn't want to express too much that might allow Henry to figure out her involvement with the gang, he had already questioned it once before after all. "So, they have buried the body then?"

"No, no one's knows what exactly happened to the body. It was dragged off before anyone could try and reason with the guards, so the people that remember him have just made a simple plaque next to where his wife is buried. I think it's quite a nice gesture for him," Henry said.

Edyn nodded her head in agreement. It was nice to know even in such a place as Nottingham people still cared for each other, even after death. It then occurred to her that Will and Luke would want to know of this. She assumed they had returned to the gang's camp. "Henry, I just realised I have something I need to do," she said moving back to her horse.

"What? You only just got here. Besides, there's something I want to tell you, it's rather important," he said looking at her pleadingly.

"Umm, look I'll come back later, I promise. But I really must go. I shouldn't be too long," she replied as she led Duke back to where she had left his saddle. Not long after she was riding through the shadows of Sherwood Forest. As usual she was headed back to the clearing when she heard voices and stopped. Straining to hear she soon figured out it was the gang, but what they were doing away from the camp was beyond her. Following the voices she soon came to a small gorge where she found Robin and his men gather. Dismounting, she slowly made her way towards them.

"Hello," she said as she approached where Robin and Much both stood.

Robin gave her a puzzled look. "What are you doing here?"

She chuckled. "I was actually going to ask you the same thing."

"Will made something for his father. Shame, you only missed it by a few moments," Robin said.

"Well, actually I was looking for Will myself. The people of Locksley have made their own little memorial for his father and I thought him and Luke would like to know about it."

"That's good timing," Much said. "They're both about to leave for Scarborough, you're lucky you caught them in time."

Edyn then looked between the two of them and noticed Allan clapping Luke on the back for comfort while Djaq was walking towards them with Will; the two of them standing extremely close together.

"Err, you know what, I have to get back to Locksley," Edyn said suddenly wanting to get as far away from there as possible. "Could you please tell them for me?"

"But they're just over there," Much pointed out.

"I know but I really must go. Right now," she said turning from them.

"Edyn," Robin called. "Are you all right?"

"Never better!" she called back refusing to stop.

Robin then glanced over towards where Will stood with Djaq and it suddenly clicked to him. "Oh, Edyn," he sighed as he watched her disappear from sight.

Returning to Locksley the sun was beginning to sink and Edyn knew she didn't have long. Typically, Henry began babbling about this and that, all of it unimportant. "Henry! I'm sorry but I don't have the time. Can you please just tell me what you needed to say?"

He looked slightly taken back. "Oh, right. Yes. Umm…" he paused. "I don't really know how to say this," he admitted.

"Just start from the beginning," Edyn said trying to soften her voice to help calm him.

"Of course," he agreed. "Well, you probably don't know this but lately I've been spending quite a bit of time at Clun…"

"Clun? Why on earth would you be doing that?"

"Edyn, please! Can you not interrupt me?" he said sharply.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Anyway, like I said I've spent a lot of time there. In fact, I found a house I quite like, I'm thinking of moving there actually." Edyn frowned and opened her mouth to say something but closed it again when she noticed his expression. "I- I err…" he sighed. "I've fallen in love, Edyn."

"Wh-what?" she stammered.

Henry gave her a meek smile. "Her name's Victoria. She's so beautiful! She and her family live in Clun and… well we're getting married. No day has been set yet, but we will. Once I have everything organised we will."

"Married?" Edyn whispered while her eyes suddenly began to prickle.

"I know! Who would have thought I would ever get married? Oh, Edyn, no words can describe how happy I am!" he gushed. "Are you not happy for me?" he asked suddenly noticing her expression.

"Yes, yes of course I am! Congratulations, Henry!" she babbled standing up to give him a hug. "I err, I have to go."

"What? Edyn!"

"I'm sorry, but I must!" she said trying to make her escape. She was about to breakdown she could feel it. Her chest ached, her eyes stung and the lump in her throat was growing with each second she forced herself to stay calm. "I'll come by in a few days. Goodbye!" Her voice then cracked on her last word and before her brother could say anything further she dashed from the house and grabbed the reins of her horse.

Her fingers had just touched the leather as she let out a sob, another quickly followed and soon she found herself gasping for air between each one as they rattled through her chest. She brought a hand to her face, almost as if to hide herself and finally allowed herself to let go of her feelings, no matter how foolish she looked. She then felt pressure against her arm as Duke brushed his head against her. She smiled at the animal. He only wanted her to rub his itchy face yet it still brought her a small comfort. "I'm glad someone is pleased I'm here," she wept as she rubbed her knuckles along where his bridle sat. She then sighed and climbed back upon him. It was getting very late now and she knew she had to get back so as not to raise suspicion. But her tears continued to fall and she let them. It didn't make her feel any better but she was passed caring about trying to hold everything in.

Returning to Marian's chamber she was given a strange look. "Edyn?" Marian asked. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"No, no. Everything's fine," Edyn replied. But when she looked up into Marian's blue eyes she crumbled. "It's just– My brother… He– he's getting married," Edyn sobbed. "And I'm not!"

"Oh," Marian let out a small laugh. She approached her maid and put an arm around her shoulders. "You're still young, and we do not know what the future holds. There's no point getting upset just yet."

But that wasn't the only thing that Edyn was upset over. Her feelings for Will were continuously getting stronger and stronger and she could no longer deny it to herself, she was in love with him. And he loved another. Everyone always spoke of love being the answer to everything, the happy ending to every story, the beginning of a life together. No one ever mentioned the pain it caused from the unrequited love so few ever suffered. _Why me?_ Edyn thought gloomily.

Days passed and still Edyn's spirits had not returned to her. She felt like a hollow shell ready to shatter at any moment. The small graze on her brow had now become a scab much more noticeable so she was forced to wear her hair loose in the hope it was kept hidden. She got word from her brother that had finished sorting the business with his new house at Clun and would be moving there immediately soon to be followed by his lover Victoria once they were married. Marian had helped Edyn organise the loan of a carriage for her to go and help Henry move his possessions. Being a small home it would only take them one trip luckily, but packing everything into the small cart was soon becoming a tedious task. Finally it seemed they had everything.

"Well, this is it," Henry declared rubbing his hands together in excitement, "the start of a new and better life."

Edyn forced a smile on her face and luckily Henry was too preoccupied by his delight to notice her obvious unhappiness. Moving around to the other side of the cart she casually glanced around the small village. She would no longer be visiting her old home anymore; instead she would be going to the strange town of Clun, one place she had never liked. The people there tended to keep to themselves, avoiding those from other villages as if they were a threat. With a sigh she looked up and her eyes fixed on a tall figure standing by the gravestones. She knew that figure.

"Henry, why don't you make a start and I'll catch you up later," she said.

"Why?" he asked.

"There's just something I have to do."

She was sure she heard him mutter something about, "Always have something to do!"

As she slowly got closer she watched as Will dropped to the ground with his head bowed in front of him and she knew he was kneeling in front of his mother's grave beside the plaque for his father. "I'm sorry!" she heard him weep, as she got closer. By the time she stood by his side she knew he was aware someone was beside him but remained silent refusing to acknowledge her. She let her instincts take over as she crouched beside him and ran her hand across his back softly. When she looked at him he was breathing heavily and kept his eyes tightly shut. She didn't know how long they had sat there but she knew best than to prompt him to talk. He would when he was ready. She worried a little that he was simply waiting for her to go but he made no sign that he wanted her to leave so she remained where she was.

"It's my fault," he finally whispered causing Edyn to jump slightly. "Both of them."

She sighed. "Well, I don't believe that." He looked at her darkly reminding her of when she had last seen him. "But," she added, "I know you don't accept that when I say it. So I guess all I can really say is this: do you really think blaming yourself is going to bring them back? Is it going to make you feel any better?"

"Of course not!" he snapped.

"Then why punish yourself like this? You did not force them to do what they did. You did not make your father try to tell the people of Nottingham there was no illness and you certainly didn't steal the food from your mother. You were a bystander! And the way I see it is that you can either blame yourself for it, or you can accept that they are in a better place, together and happy." Will remained silent simply frowning ahead of him and Edyn hoped her words were having an effect on him.

"And I am sure that one day – and I hope to God it will not be anytime soon – but one day, you will see them again. They will wait for you, and Luke, just like I believe my mother is for me and Henry."

Edyn waited for him to say something, anything, but still he remained silent. Slowly, he turned his head to stare at her and gave her what she thought was an attempted smile. "You never see the flaws in people, do you?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, I do. We all do. I just choose to keep my opinions silent," she whispered. "Some things should remain unsaid."

He nodded and once again looked across at her. They were so close and her excitement peaked as she observed his eyes move as he examined her face more closely, flickering from her chin, to her lips, then her nose, up to her hair and finally stopping as he stared into her dark eyes. She refused to take her eyes from his and she watched them narrow slightly and she then realised they were locked on her brow. Her breath caught in her throat as he cautiously brought a hand up to brush her auburn hair out of the way and his fingers lingered just above her broken skin so that they were not touching her but she could still feel the presence of them so close. "Was that my doing?" he asked.

"It was an accident," she said softly.

He sighed and removed his hand. "I'm sorry. Really sorry."

She shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for, all of this is the Sheriff's doing. He is the one who should be asking for forgiveness." She brought her hand to rest on his shoulder. "Not you." Again he closed his eyes and she couldn't refrain herself from squeezing his shoulders tightly and hesitantly rested her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Edyn," he whispered. Edyn smiled as she felt her heart warm. If she could pick one moment in her life where she truly felt blessed to be alive, it would have been this one. She loved the feeling of him in her arms, the warmth from his body, the sound of his voice, even his scent. Everything was perfect. Sadly it ended all too quickly. She needed to get to Clun to help her brother and Will had not been back to the camp since his return from Scarborough. Saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest moments of her life. It was silly really, she would most likely see him within the next few days, but something about this moment made her think it was one to remember for the rest of her life.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A:N Ooo, my first little bit of fluff! *blushes* Wait, is it considered fluff even without a kiss? o_0 Sarah0406 I couldn't believe it when you guessed my plans for Henry, haha. I was literally yelling at my computer saying, "How did you know?" It must have been either really obvious or you're really good at guessing what's going to happen, high five! I really hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. If not, please tell me how to improve for the next chapters! But if you did enjoy please feel free to let me know *hint hint* Trust me, I will never get tired of hearing from you =P**_


	17. Chapter 17

With the people of Pitt Street now recovered or grieving over those who had not been as fortunate as others, life continued on. Since Marian had saved Sir Guy in Locksley those many weeks ago it seemed he had now forgiven her and once again appeared to be trying to woo her over. Unknowingly he was in fact helping her gain more information about the Sheriff's schemes and plots.

One particularly cold morning Marian had returned to her chambers looking rather pleased with herself. "That was close," she puffed while rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them.

"My lady?" Edyn asked.

Marian simply shook her head. "Edyn, I need you to go to Robin and pass on a message for me. I highly doubt I can shake off my guard and I just overheard the Sheriff and Guy taking about a very important visitor that I'm sure Robin will want to stop reaching Nottingham."

"Of course," Edyn said. "Tell me."

Not long after Edyn was approaching Nettlestone where she had overheard Robin had been seen earlier. Not surprising she spotted him leaning casually against a fence post just outside the town as he watched the people exclaim with delight over the coin purses they had just found. Much and Allan both stood beside him and Edyn assumed the rest of the gang would have gone to another town for the drop offs.

Robin turned as he heard her arrival. "What brings you out here?" he asked as Much and Allan both took their eyes from the villagers to acknowledge her.

"I have some important news," she stated and she could have sworn Allan suddenly looked more alert. "Lady Marian overheard the Sheriff talking with Sir Guy. It seems they are about to receive a messenger of their own. A man by the name of Henry of Lewis I think she said…" Edyn said trying to remember Marian's exact words before she noticed Robin's irritated expression. "Anyway," she continued realising his name was not important to him, "he has come from the Holy Land to tell the Sheriff which port the King has planned to land at."

Robin exhaled. "Let me guess, their plan is to ambush the King then when he's most vulnerable?" Edyn merely nodded.

"We must stop him!" Much suddenly spoke up. "We cannot let him tell the Sheriff where that will be."

"I know," Robin replied. "We need to set up a trap. Do you know the route, Edyn?"

She couldn't stop herself from grinning slightly. Marian had been thrilled when she had discovered his course. "He will be travelling on the North Road tomorrow morning." A smile slowly crossed Robin's face and she got the idea a plan was beginning to form in his mind.

"How did Marian find all this out?" Allan asked her while Robin was distracted by his scheming.

Edyn shrugged her shoulders. "Eavesdropping as usual I'd assume."

"Did she tell you anything else?" he asked.

She shook her head slightly suspicious. Why was Allan asking her these questions instead of Robin? But Robin paid him no attention and surely if anything were out of the ordinary he would be the first to notice.

"Master, we should return to the camp and organise a plan," Much said interrupting Robin's musings.

He nodded his head and thanked Edyn before the three outlaws quickly took their leave and disappeared into the forest. Enjoying the warmth of the sun before the wind would pick up again, Edyn took her time to return to the castle. She was beyond caring about her tardiness anymore.

* * *

><p>The following day Edyn and Marian watched in horror as the carriage containing Henry of Lewis arrived. They both looked at each other in astonishment. "You said you passed the message on," Marian hissed at her.<p>

"I did!" Edyn replied. "I spoke with Robin, something must have gone wrong."

"I must find a way out of the castle," Marian pondered aloud.

Luckily, the messenger Henry had fallen ill during his journey and the majority of people in the castle were too preoccupied for his welfare to notice Marian sneak from the castle hidden beneath her cloak and hood. Neither Marian nor Edyn were surprised to find Robin waiting for them and Edyn took up her normal position of standing watch as the two of them discussed the problem at hand.

Clearly something had happened earlier that morning as Robin was far more agitated than he normally was when their plans failed. His brow was furrowed into a deep frown and his eyes were glazed with anger. Strange, how his usual friendly and approachable appearance seemed to have completely disappeared.

When Marian finally tore herself away from Robin she instantly reached for Edyn and whispered in her ear, "We have a problem."

"What's happened?" Edyn asked as they ducked undercover up the street leading to the castle.

"Robin thinks there may be a spy in his gang. Someone is going out and meeting Guy here."

Edyn felt her mouth drop open. "No…" she muttered almost inaudibly as she shook her head in disbelief.

"When we return to the castle I'm going to try and charm Guy and see what I can find out from him. I'll need you to wait in my room and make some excuse for why I cannot come to the door in case someone comes looking for me," Marian explained and then caught Edyn's arm and pulled her to face her. "Edyn, please be honest with me because I know how much you respect Robin's men but I need to know… Have you seen any of them in town alone?"

She had. Allan. Regularly she had seen him sneaking through the streets trying to keep hidden. Sometimes she had approached him but others she did not let her presence known to him. And even when he was amongst the gang lately he had been acting strange, but no one had seemed to notice so she had simply let it slide. But now she was faced with a dilemma. She could do the right thing and tell Marian all she knew, but in doing that she would be betraying him, a friend. Someone she had until this moment trusted. Could she really be the one to give him up? Unwillingly she shook her head. "No." She didn't know why she denied it. He was in the wrong and deserved to face up to his betrayal, but something in the back of her mind told her he must have had a reason to do it. He was a good person and something about all this didn't seem right.

Marian simply nodded her head and set off back to the castle. Edyn then exhaled sharply before she followed her. She hated lying. As a child she had always been truthful but lately she had found lies were what kept everything at peace. She constantly thought of the chaos if the truth of her and Marian's alliance with Robin Hood was to get out. She shuddered at the thought.

She spent the remainder of the morning pacing back and forth around Marian's room debating with herself if she should say something or not. She tried to distract herself with odd little tasks she needed to catch up on but her mind was far too muddled for her to be able to concentrate on anything else. With a grunt she irritably threw the dress she had been mending across the room and nursed her bleeding finger which she had pricked several times now from her lack of concentration. Childlike she stuck her finger in her mouth and retrieved the garment from the floor.

As she passed the window she glanced outside and noticed several people gathered in the courtyard. The Sheriff and his physician were there and standing between them was a woman who looked oddly familiar. Edyn's eyes squinted trying to get a better look, they were too far away to see if this woman was bound or not. Ignoring Marian's instructions she headed outside to investigate. As she walked along the corridor leading to the courtyard she spotted Marian just ahead of her being pushed back by two of Sir Guy's men.

"My lady," Edyn called, as she got closer.

Marian turned to face her and sighed. "You know that problem we had this morning? Well, that seems irrelevant to the one we have now," she muttered quietly.

"Why? What's happened now?" Edyn asked.

Silently Marian stepped aside so Edyn could get a better look at the woman standing with the Sheriff and she could help but gasp. "Matilda!" She was in fact bound and gagged.

"You know this woman?" Marian asked her.

"Of course, she saw to me once when I was ill," Edyn explained. "What's going on? Why is she here?"

"She was brought here to cure Sir Henry of his illness but instead she was caught aiding Robin in silencing him. She refused to tell them the antidote so now the Sheriff has just decided to execute her," Marian whispered sadly.

"What? No!" Her objection came out louder than she had expected.

"Shh!" Marian warned. "I will be expected to be present for her execution; our horses are most likely being readied as we speak. We'll go to the forest first and tell Robin so we will have to ride fast, understand?"

Edyn nodded her head trying to fully understand everything. "Yes."

Once they were outside of Nottingham and out of the Sheriff's sight the two of them quickly spurred their horses into the forest and along the familiar track towards the camp. As they neared the clearing Marian began calling out to Robin. By the time they reached the edge of the clearing they could see Robin sprinting down the hill towards them. Still at a canter, Marian began her explanation of what had happened once Robin had left the castle. They had barely stopped when they started to turn their horses back towards Locksley. Djaq then appeared on the hillcrest above them. "Robin, the baby's coming!"

"Baby?" Marian gasped.

"It's Matilda's grandchild!" Robin puffed.

"Rosa?" Edyn asked trying to steady her horse.

Marian looked at her confused and said, "Edyn, stay here and help them sort this out I must go." She then turned to Robin. "Hurry!" she urged as she spun her horse around and left them.

"Edyn, this way!" Robin said as he took off up the hill.

As quickly as she could she was dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby tree before she sprinted after Robin. "Do you know her?" he asked as they approached the camp.

"Not well," Edyn confessed. "We may have spoken a few words every now and then, but nothing more."

Robin only nodded. Entering the camp he instantly began giving out orders to his men and everything was so rushed there was no time for any greetings. "Edyn, you stay here and help Djaq," he told her.

"Help Djaq with…? Oh!" It then suddenly clicked to her. "What? I can't! I don't know anything about… that!" she finished lamely as she approached where Djaq was crouched.

"Edyn, please! Just do it!" Robin snapped and it was clear the stress of everything was becoming too much for him.

"Alright," Edyn said nodding still reluctant.

"Thank you," Robin breathed before he picked up his bow and led his men outside leaving Edyn with Djaq, John and Rosa. Edyn froze when she spotted Allan appear. As he passed her she instinctively grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Edyn? What are you–?"

"I need to talk to you!" she hissed at him.

"I can't, not now. Let go," he demanded struggling against her.

"No, I really need to!" Her eyes narrowed and she felt him stop resisting her.

"What do you know?" he asked in a low voice.

"Allan!" Robin's voice suddenly bellowed and Edyn reluctantly let him go. She watched him run after the rest of Robin's men and she exhaled sharply. They still hadn't figured it out yet.

Approaching the remaining three left in the camp she gave Rosa a meek smile unsure if she remembered her or not. Though she didn't say a word, Rosa held out a hand towards her and her face scrunched up as a contraction ripped through her body. Accepting the outstretched hand she glanced at Djaq. "What do you want me to do?"

"I will need you to pass me equipment, but for the moment just comfort her," Djaq explained.

Edyn nodded her head though it seemed John seemed to be doing a good enough job at keeping her calm. Amazing how such a tough looking man could be so kind and comforting. He seemed to be saying just the right words to Rosa as he helped calm her through the pain. Things began to get much more intense and Edyn soon found herself up and down passing Djaq cloths and equipment she needed. Each time she passed where Djaq was seated she forced herself to keep her eyes focused away from where Djaq's attention was, but it wasn't long before she accidentally caught a glimpse. She bit her lip firmly to stop herself from gasping aloud. It was the most horrific sight she had ever seen and in that instant she had suddenly sworn off the idea of ever having children of her own. Why would anyone want to go through that?

Time continued to pass and Edyn couldn't tell how long she had been there when Rosa let out a deep guttural shriek as she finally pushed her baby into the world. Edyn was seated beside her and clutched one hand while she had her other arm wrapped around Rosa's shoulders. She then fell back against Edyn and began to sob from pain and exhaustion when they all heard the high-pitched cry of her baby. Djaq was beaming at them and as she wrapped the tiny baby into blanket and announced. "It's a little girl."

"What?" Rosa gasped. "But, my mother said it would be a boy."

"Well, I think she was wrong with this," Djaq said as she very gently passed the baby into Rosa's outstretched arms.

"Oh!" Rosa squeaked and once again she had tears falling from her eyes as she leant towards John, allowing him to encircle his arms around her.

It had been so awful, yet so beautiful at the same time. Edyn was overwhelmed by a sudden mixture of emotions she hadn't even realised she had tears falling from her own eyes. She hastily wiped them away and she noticed Djaq grinning at her. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked Edyn.

She could only nod, as she could not think of any words that would describe how she felt. She was amazed by the whole experience, slightly shaken by the horror of it now understanding how women often died during childbirth, but she was also upset that something so special was not shared with the father of the child, how distressed Rosa had become that he was not there with her. Again, she had that same jolt of yearning she had felt when she had first seen Sybil's child and she couldn't quite understand that. Hers had been quiet and delicate looking, but Rosa's was all red and wrinkly, her entire body was twitching as her cries echoed around the forest, yet Edyn still thought she was absolutely gorgeous.

"Have you ever wanted a child?" she asked Djaq.

Looking up from where she was washing her hands Djaq hesitated. "I'm not really sure. I've never really thought about it," she confessed. "Most women think of marriage before children."

"Oh, I know," Edyn hurriedly said. "I just meant…" she sighed. "I don't know what I meant. Just– After seeing that, it gives you a new perspective of things doesn't it?" Djaq looked as if she was holding back from laughter. "Well, maybe that's just me. I haven't had many life experiences so I must admit it has made a bit of an impression on me."

Djaq's grin widened and the two of them watched as Rosa passed the baby to John. After he had the baby safely in his arms she laid down and closed her eyes allowing her body to rest. A short while later John had managed to quieten the baby and Edyn insisted Djaq rest while she cleaned up. She was just finishing when they heard the gang return. A soaking wet Matilda was the first to appear rushing straight to her daughter and Edyn stepped aside to give her room. Robin then came up beside where she stood with Will just behind him.

Laughter sounded around the camp as Matilda held her granddaughter and Rosa announced she would call the baby Alice after John's wife. The baby was passed to Robin who didn't even hesitate to have a cuddle and Edyn smiled as Will stood closer to get a better look. She had often noticed before how much he loved children; he had always been good with them.

"Edyn." She turned towards the voice calling her and was greeted by Rosa's smile. "You haven't held Alice yet."

The corner of her mouth twitched. "May I?" she asked.

"Of course," Rosa encouraged.

Edyn's grin widened as Robin approached her and gently placed the baby girl into her arms. She couldn't help but sigh as she stared down at the tiny child. Typically, after only a moment little Alice stirred and began to shriek just like before. "Here," Matilda said as she held out her arms to take her screaming granddaughter back. Slightly disappointed she surrendered the baby and it seemed everyone was eager to hold her.

Wrapping her arms around herself she pouted. "I want one."

There was another chorus of laughter and she felt Robin sling an arm around her and squeeze her shoulders. "What is it with women, eh? Besides, shouldn't you be worried about marriage first?" he chuckled.

"Thank you, now I feel loads better," she replied sarcastically trying to ignore the look she was receiving from John. She was not in the mood for another lecture from him.

Robin gave her another squeeze before he let her go and suddenly became serious. "Matilda, listen, I've been thinking and well… I don't think it will be wise for you to return to your home in Locksley. Not yet anyway."

Looking up from her new granddaughter Matilda's smile slowly faded. "Why? Where can we go? We have a newborn now, we can't simply slum it in the forest, as others would do. We need shelter. And what about my patients? I can't abandon them, especially with someone like Blight to see to them instead. I've been in Locksley my entire life and I dare not leave."

"No, no. I don't mean anything extreme," Robin reassured her. "There is a small hut in the forest near Nettlestone. Few people know about it. My father and I stayed there when we were out hunting when I was younger. That way you can still see to your patients but the Sheriff will not know where you are," he explained.

Matilda seemed to be struggling with this proposition. "But, people will not know how to find me. And what sort of state will this hut be in? Surely if it's old and situated in the forest it will be in a right mess. We can't have a baby in a dilapidated house."

"It is in surprisingly good condition," Robin said. "And if there is any damage I will send Will here to fix it." He gestured to the young carpenter beside him. Now, I can take you, Rosa and Alice there later and try and organise to get your belongings, but there is something I must do first," Robin said while rubbing his temples.

"Do you want me to take them, Robin?" Edyn asked eager to be of use.

He turned and looked at her. "Would you?"

"Of course. I can take the three of them in the carriage and get Rosa and Alice settled then take Matilda to collect her belongings," Edyn said.

Robin exhaled with relief. "That would be a great help. Thank you, Edyn."

She beamed at him. As a maid she rarely got any appreciation from her work and any little word or gesture of gratitude made her feel valued. Outside, Matilda was happily showing off Alice to Much who was just getting up from tying up an unconscious Henry of Lewis. The scenario suddenly changed in an instant from a cheery introduction to a heart-skip-a-beat panic as Henry suddenly conscious leapt up to his feet and held Much's discarded knife to his throat. Edyn's breath caught as she watched in horror as Robin sent an arrow flying through the air and found its target deep in Henry's chest. Falling to the ground limply they all knew he was already dead.

After the panic had died down Robin and Will split off to bury the body and Edyn tied her horse to the carriage she was to use to take Matilda's family to their new home while the rest of the gang helped them in and settled behind where Edyn was to be seated. After their goodbyes to the gang they were on their way towards Nettlestone. Robin had given Edyn instructions to which roads and tracks to follow to get there and finally she spotted it.

Inside it was very basic, just simply one room but it seemed perfect for Matilda's family; they didn't need much more. And as for the condition, Robin had been right. For a hut that didn't usually have residents it seemed to be almost without fault. Only a few odd little repairs had to be made and she remembered Robin mentioned Will would be stopping by to repair what needed it sometime over the next few days. Matilda's attitude seemed to change once she was inside; a smile was slowly creeping across her face. "It's much better than I thought actually."

The rest of the afternoon was spent settling Rosa and her daughter before Matilda and Edyn made their way to Locksley to pack up their belongings. Luckily the hut already housed some bits of furniture so it was mostly Matilda's medicines, clothing, books and bedding were needed to be taken. Edyn was determined to pack it all into the cart in one load. There was no way she was going to go back and forth, but in doing that the horse struggled to pull the heavily weighed down cart so it was now going at a ridiculously slow pace, even as Edyn and Matilda walked beside it so as not to add their weight to the load.

Because of this it was already dark by the time Edyn rode back to the castle. "Oh, no!" she sighed as she saw to her horror the gates were closed. Dreaded what was going to happen to her she rapped her knuckles against the wooden gates. Very slowly, the gates began to open and her heart sank right down to the pit of her stomach as Sir Guy stood before her.

"Well, well, well," he sneered. "What would a maid be doing out so late?"

Edyn allowed her eyes to drop to the ground. "Lady Marian allowed me the afternoon off. I must have lost track of time."

"Really? You didn't notice the sun disappear?" he voice became louder and she knew he was suspicious of her.

"I- I err… I had a fall, in the woods. By the time I had woken up and found my horse it was already beginning to get dark," she quickly lied.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You're looking quite well for someone who has had a fall," he noted.

"I tried to clean myself up. I didn't want Lady Marian to worry."

There was silence and Edyn hid her shaking hands behind her back trying to look calm as if nothing was out of the ordinary while trying to ignore his eyes boring onto her. Reluctantly he stood aside. He had no proof to whether she was telling the truth or not so he was forced to let her go. Still shaking, she made her way to Marian's chambers to explain what had happened and by the time she reached her own bed she fell exhausted on top of the blankets still fully clothed and was asleep almost instantly. Such a long stressful day, she dreaded what the next day would bring.

* * *

><p><strong>A:N Sorry, I don't usually take this long to update, things have been unbelievably hectic! Anyways, this is one of my favourite episodes throughout the series. The scene between Robin and Allan is amazing! Plus I love the shot of Will sitting awkwardly trying to ignore Rosa's screams, haha he looks so cute! XD Someone please steal him for me! Jokes. I hope you like this chapter, even though there are no real Will/Edyn moments. I have to admit I had my ups and downs with it. I've been staring at the first two pages for days and finally tonight I had enough of it so I forced myself to sit down and finish it, no matter how tired I am. Please, please review! And thankyou for my last reviews! They made my day =)**


	18. Chapter 18

This was it. The day Edyn had been dreading since she had first heard of it – the day her brother was going to be married.

Only a few days ago, the day after Allan had been banished from Robin's camp in fact, Henry had anxiously arrived at the castle and asked to see Edyn. By the time she had got the message and entered the courtyard Henry had sweat rolling from his brow and his complexion was frighteningly pale. She had to force herself not to laugh at his nerves. Strange how something that seem so normal to her was so terrifying to him. He quickly led her from the castle and announced the day of their wedding, the King's birthday.

"What do you think?" he had asked her. "Devoted or what?" Edyn tried to laugh with him but the idea of him being married still seemed surreal to her. "She's waiting in the market to meet you. I didn't think it would be wise for her to come to the castle also," he told her.

"She's here? Victoria?" Edyn asked.

Henry nodded his head excitedly and continued to drag her by the arm through the town. "There she is!" he exclaimed delighted, but Edyn didn't need him to point her out, she had already noticed her. Tall and slim Victoria was already waving madly at them. She had long straight fair hair and bright blue eyes. To some she may look beautiful but to Edyn who had spent every day in the presence of Marian thought otherwise; she had now become somewhat shallow when it came to beauty.

"Hello!" Victoria gushed running to them before throwing her arms around Edyn.

"Hell– Oh!" Edyn yelped at the sudden contact.

"It's so good to finally meet you," Victoria said still with her arms around Edyn's neck.

"Err… You too," Edyn replied simply patting the woman timidly on the back. "Henry's told me a lot about you."

This seemed to get Victoria to let go of her, though she was being held at arms-length. "Has he? I hope he hasn't been saying too much," she giggled.

"Oh, you never know with Henry," Edyn muttered through gritted teeth.

"Oi," Henry objected. "I'm not that bad."

Victoria laughed even louder and pulled Edyn into another hug. "I knew we'd get along. From what Henry's told me we're so alike and now I've met you I know it's true."

"Wow, you got that from just a few moments?" Edyn asked.

"I'm good at reading people," Victoria said beaming at her. "Should we maybe go and get a drink? I've always heard good things about the Trip."

"Umm… Probably best if I don't go in there," Edyn muttered. "I'm not that popular with the owner," she added before Victoria could jump to some ridiculous conclusion.

"Ooo," Victoria exclaimed. "Scandal."

Edyn forced herself to laugh with her and she seemed to fool Victoria but Henry shot her a dark stare and she knew he could clearly see her falseness. She couldn't help it though, this woman was far too eccentric and loud, and not in a good fun way but rather annoying instead.

After what seemed like hours they finally left her, but not before Henry pulled Edyn aside. "Stop it, Edyn. Just stop it!" he snapped at her.

"What?"

"Victoria doesn't know you well enough to know that you're making fun of her but I do! And I can't believe you of all people would be that cruel."

"I'm sorry, Henry, I really am. It's just she's so… I don't know. Just different to what I expected, that's all."

"Well you better get over your little issue with her because I love her, and very soon she will be my wife, a part of our family." Edyn shuddered at the sudden thought. "Please, I'm begging you; please make an effort with her. I think you'll love her once you get to know her."

Edyn exhaled and nodded her head. Her brother was the most important person in her life and she wasn't going to let anything come between them, even if it meant she had to go along with the happy family scenario Victoria was clearly dreaming of.

So now here she was, dressed in her best to attend the small ceremony for her brother and his soon-to-be wife. She was being extra careful as she rode to Clun not to dirty or crease the dress she was wearing. It was an old dress of Marian's which she had insisted Edyn tailor it to fit herself especially for the day. She had even let her auburn hair flow loosely down her back. All of this was her way of showing her brother she was trying to be involved.

When she arrived at his new home she found him once again sweating uncontrollably from nerves. "What if she doesn't want to marry me anymore? What if she won't enjoy living with me? What if I start to annoy her?" his endless questions started the moment she had walked through the door.

"You'll be fine," she reassured him. _I'm sure she'll annoy you before you annoy her_, she thought to herself knowing better than to voice her opinion. "Just take it one step at a time, alright? I'm sure everyone worries about this before they marry."

"I hope so," he muttered.

The two of them walked towards the edge of the forest where Victoria had wanted the ceremony to take place, and even Edyn had to admit it looked beautiful. Flowers and streamers had been placed everywhere and the amount of different colours was almost overwhelming. But the smell was amazing, the mixture of all the flowers and the clear fresh scent from the forest seemed to fit perfectly and Edyn knew it would be something she would always remember.

Victoria finally arrived along with her mother and two sisters and Edyn surprised herself to find the smile on her own face was actually genuine. Victoria's dress was only simple but she looked amazing, her cheeks were the perfect rosy colour and her eyes were glistening with excitement. She was unbelievably joyful and it seemed as if she passed on her delight to those around her as Edyn no longer felt any annoyance or jealously towards this woman, she was honestly pleased for Victoria's happiness.

The ceremony was short but very sweet and soon everyone was cheering and dancing to celebrate the newlyweds. Food and drinks were quickly passed around and Edyn regretted to leave as she had to be back at the castle – being the King's birthday there was a celebration being held at the castle and she was lucky enough that Marian had helped her sneak out to be here. She embraced Henry before she left and she heard him whisper in her ear softly. "I'm so happy, Edyn. I hope someday soon you'll be happy too." She only smiled at him in response. That was something she didn't want to discuss with him, not on his wedding day anyway.

Returning to the castle was much more difficult than she thought it would be. With the many extra nobles now inside celebrating the King's birthday the security had been made much stricter than normal. People who entered had to be searched for any weapons as well as stating their business inside. Edyn had thought being the Lady Marian's maid would have made it easier for her but apparently it made no difference to the guards who continued on with their slow pace.

Eventually she was allowed inside and was hurrying to Marian's chamber. As she rounded the corner she stopped and gawked with utter shock. Sir Guy's men were restraining Marian while Guy himself towered over her. "Sir Guy!" Edyn called as she rushed over. "What are you doing?"

He barely turned to look at her. "Take Lady Marian's maid also," he instructed one of his guards and before she knew it Edyn was also restrained while shackles were placed uncomfortably around her wrists.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed again while Marian continued to yell towards Sir Guy as she was forced away by the guards holding her.

The two of them were escorted to the other side of the castle where the Sheriff usually housed his guests and were then pushed inside one of the bedchambers; all the while Marian struggled and pulled against them whereas Edyn simply followed somewhat defeated. There was no way she could overpower two burly guards that held her. Once inside a much older man faced them, his wrinkled face beamed at Marian. "Ah!" he said taking in Marian's appearance who as if on cue began her rant about her treatment. "Oh, gag her for God's sake. She's pretty until she talks," the strange man complained as he left the room. The moment the door was closed Marian began pulling at the shackles placed around her wrists.

"My lady, what is going on? Who was that?" Edyn demanded.

"He is the Lord of Winchester. Apparently I was brought into some agreement between him and the Sheriff," Marian told her while still struggling with the chains. "I don't understand, Guy said he would get me out of this. Why did he say that only to bring me here? Is he trying to torture me? Is this some sort of revenge?"

"I don't know," Edyn answered. "What is going to happen to us?"

"Well, if what Guy said is true, then we will be the newest residents in Winchester." Marian sighed irritably. "What about your shackles. They look much looser."

In truth they were. Edyn's small hands and wrists looked tiny in their confinements but they were still tight enough that she couldn't pull her hands from them. "They're too tight."

"Are you sure? You can't even slide them out?"

Edyn repositioned her hand, curling her thumb and littlest finger together and tried again. Almost. It was a tight fit and desperation to get out this horrid situation forced her to grit her teeth and force the steel to slide over her knuckles. The moments her hand was free the pain struck her. The skin on her knuckles from her index finger and smallest finger had been torn off as the shackle slid over them. "Ouch!" she gasped bringing her hand down and squeezing it between her thighs. She was not going to try and get the other off, she didn't care if it hung from her other wrist painfully, that discomfort wasn't as bad as what she had just felt. At least she could now move her arms freely.

"Quick, check his desk," Marian urged. "Maybe he has something we can pick the locks with."

Edyn nodded and she hurriedly riffled through his drawers desperate for anything. She desperately tried to ignore the shaking of her hand as blood began to trickle down her fingers. "Nothing," she declared. "There's nothing."

"The boot chest. Hurry!" Marian instructed.

Edyn's hand began to sting more than before as she dug through it frustrated when there was nothing to be found. Without even waiting for Marian to say another word she then went to the drawers beside his bed, then the shelves on the back wall. There had to be something. She was just about to give up when she noticed something almost hidden beneath his pillow. She couldn't believe their luck when she pulled it aside and found a small dagger. "Will this do?" she asked Marian as she rushed over to her.

"Let's hope the blade isn't too big," Marian replied.

Having no idea of what she was meant to do, Edyn stuck the blade inside the lock on Marian's shackles and fiddled and twisted it hoping to her the little click to tell her she was triumphant, but nothing. "Urgh, I think the blade is too big," she grumbled.

"Just keep trying," Marian encouraged.

There was then a loud click but it wasn't from the shackles but instead the door as it was unlocked and the Lord Winchester entered followed by Sir Guy and his guards. Edyn froze. He simply stared at her for a moment as if expecting her to do something courageous but fear had immobilised her and with a sigh he gestured for the guards to restrain her. Vaguely she wondered if she should have tried to fight them off with the small dagger but when she thought about it she caught a glimpse of the swords each guard had strapped to their belts. Like a small dagger was really going to make them stop. Defeated, she simply handed them the weapon and waited for them to replace to shackle she had slipped out of.

"A bit of an escape artist are we?" Winchester asked her while prodding her bloody hand painfully. "The girl stays here," he told Sir Guy. "I won't have her residing in my home."

"No!" Marian spoke up. "I insist if I am being forced to leave then my maid must come with me!"

"My lord, the girl was only following orders," Sir Guy added, clearly for Marian's benefit rather than Edyn's. "She's just proved how loyal she is and how willing she is to… oblige."

Edyn shot Sir Guy the darkest stare she could muster. How dare he say that! Lord Winchester simply smirked. "Well in that case, I cannot deprive the Lady Marian from her maid, can I?" He rubbed his hands together with satisfaction. "Bring them outside. I will be leaving once the show is over."

Edyn caught Marian's eye and she too looked just as confused. What show? Once outside they then understood. Both Robin and Allan stood on a plank of wood over a boiling pot of pitch. Since Allan had now been banished from the outlaw's camp she knew neither of them were going to hold back and fear began to rattle through her. Although Allan had done wrong she did not want to see him die because of it. And Robin… what were the people to do without him?

Marian was forced to stand alongside Lord Winchester as he feasted while watching the two outlaws battle each other. Edyn was thankful that she was shunned to stand in the background between two guards and from where she stood she could not get a clear sight of the spectacle. Occasionally she noticed the people gathered flinch and she assumed one of them had had a near miss. She was sure that if one of them were to fall there would be several outcries that would inform her, she didn't want to see it herself.

"Music!" the Sheriff then demanded.

From then on everything became chaos. Robin's gang suddenly appeared all dressed in coloured rags and hats producing weapons from the instruments they carried. Eager to see what was happening Edyn leaned around the guard beside her and stood on her toes for a better look. She could see both Allan and Robin had both gotten down from the plank of wood and soon Robin had his gang disappearing to safety, but not before he took one last look in Marian's direction. Edyn's spirits then lifted slightly. Robin would not allow Marian to be taken away. Surely he would come up with a plan and rescue her. Edyn clung onto hope that she was right. She didn't want to leave. She especially didn't want to go with this Lord Winchester. He was much too alike the Sheriff, yet his infatuation with Marian seemed to make him appear much worse in comparison, even though Edyn had never thought it possible.

Soon after Robin's escape they were forced to wait in the courtyard and wait for Lord Winchester's carriage to come for them. Typically, both Marian and Edyn were being guarded at all times. While waiting, Edyn had noticed that Allan apparently was taking orders from Guy; the two of them seemed to be scheming before they disappeared towards the stables. She soon put two and two together to work out that once Allan had realised that Robin was not going to have him back he turned to Guy in desperation. She was so disappointed in him. Before he had disappeared he had briefly looked up at both Marian and Edyn. Marian had been too preoccupied by the guards so close they were almost breathing down her back to notice him, whereas Edyn had ignored them and had met Allan's eye, almost pleading with him with her expression. _Why?_

Soon after he left the carriage appeared escorted by Lord Winchesters' three men. Somewhat reluctant, Marian slowly climbed into the carriage and Edyn went to follow before she was called back. "Wait!" She turned to see Lord Winchester entering the courtyard. "I have never shared my carriage with a servant and I don't intend to do so now. I don't care if you are a Lady's maid or not. You will ride up the front with the driver," he ordered.

With a sigh, Edyn bowed her head and obliged. As she scrambled out she caught Marian's pleading look, but what could she do? She desperately wanted to stay with her but once she was given an order she had to obey. Climbing up beside the driver was much more difficult than she thought, especially as her hands were still locked in shackles. Seeming to take pity on her he held out his arm and helped her up. "Thank you," she said, but she got no reply from him. Strange man, kept his hood right over his face so all she could see was the tip of his nose. It was any wonder he could see at all.

The trip from Nottingham castle was long and slow. The moment they entered the forest she had been waiting for Robin's men to ambush, but nothing. Her stomach began to lurch with dread the further they got through the forest. _Come on, Robin,_ she thought. _Now would be a good time to ambush a carriage. _

But still there was no sigh of him or his men. By now they were entering a large clearing and oddly the two riders in front of them signalled the driver to stop. "What are you doing?" Edyn asked, not at all surprised when she got no answer. The driver then jumped off and stood by the horses.

Lord Winchester was soon climbing out demanding an explanation. One of the riders snuck away on the other side of the carriage while the other moved his horse nearer before he removed his hood. Edyn gasped. The Sheriff of Nottingham was sat astride the horse looking rather smug with himself. "Do you really think I would just smile and let you have Sussex?" he sneered.

Looking back towards Winchester she noticed Sir Guy had suddenly appeared behind him right before he pulled out a dagger and sank it deep in Winchester's flesh. Groaning and spluttering he fell to the ground and within a few short moments he was dead. Still stunned Edyn jumped when the driver came up beside her and pulled back his hood to reveal Allan holding out his hand to help her down. "You…" she trailed off unsure of what she was going to say. Allan simply nodded his head as if he understood her confusion.

Sir Guy had just finished taking the shackles from Marian's wrists before he threw the keys to Allan. Surprisingly, he was quite gentle as he unlatched the irons. "Thank you, Allan." He barely looked at her before he turned to the horses pulling the coach and began unharnessing them. The carriage was just another object the Sheriff had no need of so it was simply to be left there; the horses on the other hand would be of some value and use. Glancing over at the others Edyn could see Marian was seated behind Sir Guy on his horse and the two of them were riding back to Nottingham alongside the Sheriff. Edyn and Allan followed them on foot leading the two horses.

For nearly half the walk they were silent. Eventually, curiosity became too much for Edyn. "Why did you do it, Allan?" she asked him. He exhaled sharply and glared at the ground in front of him. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. What was going through your mind when you agreed to help Sir Guy?"

Shaking his head he spoke in a low voice. "You don't understand, Edyn. No one does."

"Well, refusing to answer is hardly going to persuade people that you deserve a second chance," she responded.

He simply glared at her and she knew he was beyond caring about defending himself to everyone. "Tell me something, Edyn. Just then, while we were riding through the forest, were you waiting for Robin to come? Were you expecting him and the rest of the gang to come and help you and Marian?" Edyn didn't answer, her eyes dropping to the ground proving he was right. "Exactly," he continued. "I thought the same way too. That is, until Robin didn't come for me. He didn't even care enough to notice that I was missing so I had to make a decision to save myself. And yes, I regret it. You have no idea how much I do, but I'm sure if you were in that position, or any of the others in the gang, that you would have done the same thing."

Edyn was stunned by his outburst. Deciding it was best not to ask further questions she remained mute. "You don't believe me," he muttered quietly looking away from her.

"I didn't say that," she replied just as quietly.

"Yeah, but I know what you're thinking," he said, his voice rising again. "Let's just hope you don't get put in that situation."

Silence surrounded them once more and as they caught sight of Nottingham in the distance Allan spoke again. "Why didn't you say anything to Robin or Marian? You had the chance to. And you had seen me near the Trip so many times I knew you would have had to have known it was me, but you didn't say anything. Why?"

After a moment of stillness Edyn sighed. "I don't know why… I just didn't." She looked up at him and he was questioning her with his eyes. "I guess deep down I was hoping I was wrong. I don't have many friends and I don't want to be the one responsible for ruining someone's life. I was hoping that you would do the right thing and confess, and try and sort everything out." It was Allan's turn to remain quiet. "I guess we were both wrong," she said softly. "You're not going to say anything about Lady Marian, are you? Or me?"

He held back a laugh. "I know I'm a traitor, but I'm not going to say anything that will put anyone in danger, alright?"

"I'm sorry. But I had to ask. Surely you understand?"

"I'm beginning to," he replied slightly irritated.

That night, both Edyn and Marian had much to discuss between Allan's betrayal and the whole incident with Winchester. Even Henry's wedding was mentioned, but after everything that had happened it seemed like it was months ago that Edyn had been there, not hours. Idly, Edyn wondered if she were ever going to have a normal life, one that wasn't so full of drama and surprising incidents. But then, after everything she had witnessed and been a part of, a normal life would probably bore her now. She almost giggled at the thought. She enjoyed a little excitement, although today was just too intense. She wished there was some medium in her life, but she doubted that would ever happen. Nottingham was either a huge bore and a depressing place to be, or the total opposite. There would never be a normal day in Nottingham, she was sure of it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A:N I know it's probably not the best I've done, but my mind keeps wandering to later chapters that I'm itching to write so I'm forcing myself to get these chapters out of the way so I can get to the exciting ones! I loved the idea of the little chat between Allan and Edyn; I hope it came out all right. I don't think I portrayed Allan quite right, so any advice? Please, please review! I love feedback. And thankyou to my last reviewers! *big squishy hugs!* I promise a Will/Edyn scene in the next chapter, it just didn't seem appropriate in this chapter with all the drama and everything. **_


	19. Chapter 19

The warmer weather was beginning to ease, as Allan became an official member of Sir Guy's men. Edyn was horrified to hear from Marian that he was happily informing the Sheriff of all the ways in and out of the castle regularly used by Robin's men as well as Marian when times called for it. "He claims he's got to do it to ensure the Sheriff doesn't turn against him," Marian fumed one morning. "Plus he persuaded the Sheriff to empty his strongroom so now Robin doesn't know where to look for the pact."

"I don't believe it," Edyn muttered.

Going about her usual tasks she happened to come across Allan while running an errand for Marian and pulled him to one side, cautiously checking they were not seen. "Edyn, what are you doing?" he demanded.

"What am I doing? What about you telling the Sheriff all of Robin's escape routes? You said you wouldn't!"

"No," Allan argued. "I said I wouldn't say anything about you or Marian. I have to tell them some things if I want to stay here, right?"

Edyn simply shook her head at him; she didn't have the patients to listen to him weasel out of his mistakes. She had hoped that he might have learned from them, but the truth was he had learnt nothing. "Are you ever going to take responsibility for the things you've done? Or is there always going to be some reason for why you do them?"

He looked away and shook his head and for some odd reason Edyn got a slight thrill out of proving him wrong. "Just stop it. You've said enough to secure your position here. I don't think any more secrets need to be told." She didn't wait for a response before she turned and left to finish her jobs.

Returning to Marian's bedchambers she found them empty and automatically Edyn assumed she was visiting Sir Edward. He was slowly becoming weaker and weaker from his confinement in the castle prison. But Edyn was left waiting for Marian's return for much longer than she had anticipated. When she finally returned she seemed to be flustered and encouraged Edyn to follow her.

Before Edyn even got a chance to question her, Marian was already explaining their situation. "I need you to sneak down to the stables and ready the horses. Be sure you are not seen by anyone. I need to warn Robin so I'm going to try and persuade Guy to let me into the town and I'll need you to have the horses waiting in the town for me."

Edyn nodded her head. "What do we have to warn Robin about?"

"It's Allan," Marian said. "He's agreed to lead Guy to Robin's camp so I need you to be ready the moment Guy leaves."

"I'll get the horses now," Edyn said before turning towards the courtyard.

Sneaking inside the stable was relatively easy, especially as both hers and Marian's mounts were housed in the far stalls away from where Sir Guy's was. She had them just about ready when she noticed Allan walking in her direction. She quickly ducked into a nearby stall and waited for Allan to collect his horse. She held her breath as she heard him enter the stall beside where she hid. It seemed to take him forever to throw a saddle on his mount. _Come on!_

Finally, he led his horse outside and Edyn peered around to make sure he didn't double back for any reason. Creeping down to the back door of the stable, which lead to the back streets of Nottingham she couldn't believe her luck to find it unlocked. It would be near impossible to leave via the courtyard without being seen, especially while leading two large horses. Hiding in one of the streets she watched as Sir Guy and his men passed, Marian walking alongside Sir Guy. Edyn stared at the two of them as they departed before she quickly moved the horses into the street just as Marian turned towards her.

"Nicely done," she complemented as she took her horse from Edyn.

"As always," Edyn giggled.

The ride through the forest was quick and soon the sound of the wind gushing passed her ears was competing with the sound of the horses' labouring breath. Approaching the camp they slowed as they went down the slope leading to the clearing. There was then a horrible creaking sound and Edyn looked across to Marian and watched in horror as some sort of barricade swung towards her. "Marian!" she gasped, but it was too late. The wooden boulder collided with Marian's shoulder and Edyn watched as she fell from her horse. After that it all became a blur. Her horse terrified by what had just happened instinctively shied away before he reared back onto his hind legs unseating Edyn. She fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes and watched feebly as both hers and Marian's horses fled from their thrown riders.

"Robin!" she heard Marian's voice scream and she rolled over to see that somehow Marian had been hoisted up by a rope and was now dangling helplessly from a tree branch.

Edyn sat her aching body up as Robin and the gang appeared. Will quickly moved off to lower Marian to the ground as Much came over to Edyn to help her to her feet. The moment Marian's feet touched the ground she leapt forward and drove her fist into Robin's gut. He bent over double with the pain and the rest of the men all cringed in sympathy while Djaq simply smirked. Before Robin had regained himself Marian had already begun explaining Allan's betrayal and how he and Sir Guy were on their way there.

"I bet you're pleased with yourself?" Edyn asked stepping closer to Will. He sent her a questioning look so she continued. "I'm assuming it was you who designed and built that thing."

She watched amused as he looked down at his feet. "Maybe…"

"Well, usually I would complement you, but not today," she added rubbing her backside where she had landed. She noticed he mashed his lips together and she knew he was desperately holding back from laughter. She tried to glare at him but gave up and laughed instead. She then went to catch her horse with the help of a man named John who quickly explained that Robin was helping him save his bride. "How romantic," she commented as they approached where Marian and Robin stood.

"It may sound like it, but all I want is her. There's no need for any romantic story to go along with it," he told her.

This stunned Edyn a little. "It seems silly but that actually sounds so much nicer." He simply nodded his head. "Oops!" she suddenly exclaimed as they had both clearly interrupted Robin and Marian talking about something other than Allan and Sir Guy.

Marian simply brushed it off and soon they were heading back to the castle. Marian kept the same smirk on her face the entire way and Edyn couldn't help but giggle. "What?" Marian demanded.

"Nothing, just– Today I'm really getting an insight of what love does to a person. You could not be any happier, could you?"

"Well, let's just say I doubt anything else will ruin my day," Marian concluded.

Returning to Nottingham Edyn snuck through the back entrance of the stables while Marian entered the courtyard as if she had just returned from the physician she had informed Sir Guy she was intending on visiting. Edyn was just leaving the stable when Sir Guy and Allan rode through the gate no longer accompanied by the many guards they had left with. Luckily their anger made them oblivious to Edyn as she quickly ran to the castle and disappeared into a nearby corridor.

Marian's bedchamber was empty when she pushed open the door and she automatically assumed she was with her father once again. "He's ignoring me!" Edyn jumped and turned to find Marian enter looking far more agitated than what she had been before. "I know he's mad with me but I didn't realise how much he was."

"I'm sure tomorrow he will have forgotten all about your argument," Edyn comforted. Marian simply nodded her head and let the subject drop.

The afternoon was slowly dragging on when they both heard a knock on Marian's door. "Yes?" Edyn asked as she pulled the heavy door open. Facing her was an elderly guard with a somewhat depressed expression. "What's happened?" Edyn asked in a small voice.

"I need to speak with the Lady Marian," he said slowly.

"Yes of course. My–" Edyn stopped herself as Marian was suddenly beside her looking at the guard puzzled.

"Lady Marian," he said formally bowing his head. "Sir Guy has sent me." He paused there as if he were struggling to get his words out. "It's about your father." Edyn couldn't ignore Marian's sudden intake of breath.

"W-what about him?" Marian asked nervously.

"It appears he escaped the dungeon, and was seen aiding Robin Hood in stealing a very valuable document from the Sheriff. Unfortunately–"

"Stop!" Marian said loudly holding up her hand to silence him while breathing deeply.

"Forgive me, but I am required to instruct you to follow me," the guard continued after a few moments.

"What? Why?" Marian babbled and Edyn could see tears welling in her blue eyes.

"If you would please follow me," he repeated and turned towards the corridor.

Marian still stood frozen and Edyn took a step closer bringing her hands to Marian's arm. "My lady?" Marian turned and stared at her with wide eyes. "We should go," Edyn said trying to make her voice sound firm.

Numbly Marian followed the guard. The fresh air seemed to clear her head and she soon roughly pulled herself from Edyn's helping hands. "Wait," she called to the guard. "Where exactly are you taking me? Why are you doing this?" The guard simply ignored her and she turned to Edyn. Sadly, Edyn had her suspicions but dared not voice them.

The guard led the two of them out of the castle gates and into one of the side streets. Many of Sir Guy's men were all gathered around. Edyn stopped in her tracks and brought a hand to her mouth as she watched in horror as Canon Birkly's body was carried away from the scene on a stretcher held by two beefy soldiers. It was then she spotted the feet belonging to another body. Her suspicions were made true by Marian's sudden outburst. "Father!"

Pathetically Marian shook him and squeezed his hand desperate for a response from him. Nothing. Edyn soon found herself closing her eyes so as not to watch the sadness unfolding before her. Whoever said that death was a beautiful thing was clearly wrong. It was frightening and disturbing, and far from anything beautiful. She could see Sir Guy bending down beside Marian as she continued to shriek and cry. Edyn didn't know what was worse, the sight of her former master lying dead on the ground or the sounds of Marian's grief. Whenever Marian had been upset Edyn had always stepped forward to be there and comfort her but for some reason her mind was screaming at her to stay where she stood. Death was such a complex issue, and people's reactions were always different. _How do you know what to say or do? _Edyn wondered.

When Marian had finally had enough with Sir Guy's attempt to comfort her she hastily leapt to her feet and fled the street, Sir Guy was close behind her. Ordinarily Edyn would have followed but she decided to stay where she was. She remained there for a while, watching as Sir Edward's stretcher was lifted and carried off. She did not cry, yet the skin around her eyes felt tight as if she had been. Reluctantly one of Sir Guy's men approached her. "You may want to inform your mistress that Sir Edward will be buried immediately and a service will be held for him and the Canon in the morning." Edyn said nothing, her eyes still locked on the ground where Sir Edward had been only a few moments earlier. "Miss?" the guard asked. "Are you all right? Miss!"

"I'm fine," Edyn mumbled. When she looked at him he jerked his head in the direction of the castle. "Yes, of course. Lady Marian," she rambled ignoring the strange look she received.

Upstairs she approached Marian's door just as Sir Guy left. Her hand reached for the handle when she heard Marian inside gasping for air through her tears. She then heard Robin's voice follow and she let her hand drop. She slowly turned and rested her back against the cool wood of the door. This wasn't fair. Marian was a good person; she didn't deserve grief like this. Deciding to leave the two of them she returned to her quarters. As she walked she then felt a tear fall from her cheek. Bringing her hand to her face she felt the moisture and then realised she was crying. How had she not noticed that? Her entire body felt completely numb and she struggled just to keep herself balanced.

When she returned to Marian's chamber later she was not at all surprised to find it empty with a smashed window and a makeshift rope hanging from it. She slowly approached the window and looked outside. Even from the great height she knew it was one of Robin's arrows. Hastily she ran from the castle to retrieve it before it was spotted and went to find Sir Guy to inform him of Marian's escape.

This was the moment she had been dreading. "What?" he bellowed at her before her grabbed her by the arm and dragged her roughly to Marian's bedchamber to inspect it for himself.

"How could you let her leave?" Sir Guy roared, causing Edyn to back herself away.

"Forgive me, Sir Guy, but I am a servant. If I am ordered to leave a room then I must, as I was instructed to do so earlier this afternoon," Edyn lied trying to defend herself.

Sir Guy moved closer to her and for a moment she was expecting him to strike her. But instead he slammed his fist against the wall over her shoulder. "You stupid girl!" he growled at her before he disappeared leaving Edyn trembling against the cold stonewall.

In the days that followed Edyn was struggling to find a reason to get out of bed. Gleefully the Sheriff had forbidden her to leave the castle for any reasons, including attending Sir Edward's memorial. He seemed to take his hatred against Marian out on her now that she was alone and vulnerable. Again she found herself working in the kitchen whenever she wasn't cleaning or serving wine to the Sheriff and his guests. Though she would never voice it, she was rather offended that she had no word from Marian, as if she had simply been forgotten. She regularly reminded herself about how people reacted when they were grieving. _She's not doing it on purpose_, she told herself. _Just give her time._

* * *

><p>Will crept as silently as possible down the dark deserted corridor. Each time he came across a guard he would slink back into the shadows hiding himself until it was clear for him to emerge. He had quite a knack for it he had found since joining Robin's gang, a skill that he had been forced to quickly master lest he be caught. He continued down passed the kitchens towards the servants quarters, a part of the castle he had never been before, relying on the directions Marian had given him earlier.<p>

As silently as he could he pushed the door open and moved inside. It felt odd to be in there, disrespectful. Men were never permitted inside the women's quarters, outlaw or not. Though it was almost pitch black inside the room his eyes quickly adjusted and he was beyond relieved to find Edyn lying on the bed closest to the door. All he would have to do would be to stay hidden beside her bed and hopefully wouldn't be spotted by the others. Moving closer he squatted down to the ground and hid himself at the end of her bed. A smirk crossed his face as he took in her position. All the other women accommodating the room either slept on their backs or curled up on their sides, much like everyone else he had seen sleeping. Edyn however slept half on her side and half on her stomach with one leg straight and the other bent right up beside her, her arms curling around the flat pillow she had.

"Edyn," he whispered as loud as he dared. Nothing. "Edyn," he tried again. Still nothing. Getting frustrated he gave her mattress a small shove.

"Mmm," Edyn moaned loudly stirring slightly while Will ducked his head praying none of the other women had woken.

After what felt like an age he finally looked up to find the room still and silent. Creeping closer he couldn't think of anything else to do but to gently place his hand over her mouth. She woke with a start, her eyes wide and he hastily brought a finger to his lips to hush her. Realising whom it was she relaxed and she brought a hand up to his to remove it. His mind then wondered. Her hands were so soft and clean compared to his, and he suddenly became a little self-conscious about his hygiene.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded in a hushed voice.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure the others were still in their slumber he answered, "I came to make sure you were alright."

"What?" Her dark eyes narrowed.

"Marian sent me," he explained. "She wanted to make sure you were all right after she ran off. She was hoping that you would come to forest, but when you didn't she got worried. She couldn't come here herself, she'd be too easily recognised if she were seen, as would Robin, Djaq and John. So it was down to Much and myself."

He noticed the corner of her mouth twitch. "I bet Much was more than happy to come."

Will couldn't help but return the smile. "You know Much."

Her smile spread further and she looked down, her auburn hair was braided and fell from her shoulder when she moved her head. A few wisps around her face had come loose from its restraints and brushed passed her cheeks. Strange, he had never noticed how soft it looked. Usually she had it bound tightly behind her, only occasionally had he seen it loose. Idly he wished she let in out more often, it suited her, all free and out of control. He was being very careful of where he was letting his eyes wander as all she was wearing was a small white shift, and being a cold night it didn't leave much to the imagination.

"So was that it?" she asked him awakening him from his thoughts.

"Err, yes. Sorry," he babbled trying to remember what else he had been asked here for. "Marian wanted to know what you have to do here now. We were all a little worried that you might have been forced out of the castle."

She shook her head. "Still here, luckily. I was a little worried at first, Sir Guy was furious with me."

"He didn't hurt you?" he asked nervous that she may have been harmed, more than once he had seen her with injuries from his men whenever he had been mad with Marian.

"No. I wasn't sure at first, but no," she reassured him. "You were worried about me?" she asked and even in the darkness Will could see her cheeks flush pink.

"Yes. Well, everyone. The gang and Marian."

"Oh." Oddly, she looked slightly down by this knowledge. Will thought that she would have loved to hear that everyone was concerned about her welfare. "Well, you can let them know I'm working hard as a kitchen maid now."

"That's a bit of a downgrade," he muttered.

Edyn nodded her head with agreement. "Although, the Sheriff seems to call on me a lot," she said. Will frowned and she seemed to notice, quickly silencing him before he said anything. "No, not like that! Just… whenever he asks for food or wine to be brought up to him, he insists that I be the one to do it. I think he feels I've spent too much time with Lady Marian and wants to make sure I'm not going to rebel like she used to."

He relaxed a little. "Good. Let us know if he does anything to hurt you though. You know Robin will help you in a heartbeat."

"I know," she whispered smiling again. Strange how in the darkness she looked different, her hair looked almost black with no light to catch it and her pale skin seemed to glow in comparison to that and her dark eyes. Slowly, those eyes looked up and met his. "How is she?"

Instantly Will knew she was asking about Marian. "She's dealing with it. Robin's been there for her the whole time. To be honest I think she's struggling having to listen to him."

"She's used to being her own leader, she's never had to listen to anyone before, and I mean that in a good way," Edyn added to defend herself. "I can't imagine how she must be feeling right now. Her father was her whole world."

Will nodded his head. "I'll let her know that you're thinking of her." She smiled her gratitude. "I should go before we're caught," he reluctantly said.

Again, she looked slightly upset by that and he wondered why. He was about to turn when he felt her delicate hand catch his. "Thank you," she said softly. "Sometimes I fear that I'm not really needed," she confessed.

"I hope I've proved you wrong," he replied squeezing her soft hand in his own rough, callused grasp.

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><p><strong>A:N I am so sorry it took me AGES to get this chapter posted. My life is so hectic. I'm about to start a new job and I'm moving away from home, so scary! But so exciting too =) Just for the heads up the next few chapters may take a while before they're posted. But do not stress! I will be writing again once I'm settled and will find some way to access the internet to post them, even if I have to sit at McDonald's like an idiot to use their free internet, trust me I will do it lol. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. A little insight into what Will's thinking. I know I didn't give much away but I figure he's the kind of guy that gets embarrassed just by thinking of certain situations. Plus, I've been watching way too much Game of Thrones so now I see him as an arsehole as he is as Viserys. Still yummy though! Harry Lloyd was the only reason why I wanted to watch it and now I'm obsessed. **

**Please, please review! And thank you for the last ones =) They make me feel so special. **


	20. Chapter 20

**A:N/ I'M ALIVE! New chapter, whoop whoop! Be prepared, this is going to jump from different points of view.**

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><p>Edyn was sure that time had come to a complete stop. It felt like a year had almost passed since she had spoken to Will but sadly no more than a few days had gone by. One morning while she was scrubbing one of the many floors of the castle she began daydreaming and fantasising about running away and leaving this horrid place. With Sir Edward's death and Marian's departure she really had no reason to stay. She was wondering about going to Henry and staying with him until she could find other arrangements, she doubted Victoria would mind, she'd probably love another person to listen to her endless wittering.<p>

Exhausted, she picked herself up off the floor and went to the next room the Sheriff had insisted she clean from top to bottom. _Odious man!_ Leaving the room she practically barged right into Allan who was hurrying passed. "Oh, Allan. Sorry, I didn't see you," she puffed bending down to retrieve the objects she had dropped.

"No, it was you I was looking for," he said.

Edyn rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, the Sheriff needs some more wine? Or some bread and cheese? Or–"

"No, Edyn," Allan spoke over her.

"What is it?" she asked slightly nervous by his stiff position.

"Look, if the Sheriff or Gisborne knew I was telling you this then I'd be in a lot of trouble, yeah?"

She nodded. "Tell me."

"I just heard from some guards that the Sheriff organised to have some of his men go to Clun and ruff up the people a bit. Scare them and what have you."

"But… why?" Edyn asked.

"I have no idea, probably some plan against Robin or something, but the point is I know your brother and his wife live there. You might want to go see if they're alright. Help them clean up and stuff."

"See if they're alright?" Edyn echoed his words. "What exactly happened?"

"I don't know, I'm telling you what I do know. So go sneak out or whatever it is that you and Marian used to do," he urged.

Edyn merely nodded her head and left him without another word. She felt odd, numb almost and she had no idea why. Surprisingly getting out of the castle with her horse was a lot easier than she had thought it would be. The guards standing nearby barely acknowledged her let alone tried to stop her. Reaching Clun she forgot how far it was from the castle and it was almost midday by the time she arrived. What she found there would haunt her for the rest of her life.

The entire town was a mess. Broken fences and shattered pots scattered around, children screaming, women crying, it was all too much. The sight of a noose hanging over a beam made Edyn shudder. That was until she noticed several bodies all laid together at the far end of the town. She couldn't get a clear sight of them but as she dismounted the discomfort she had felt in her stomach earlier was nothing compared to what she felt now.

She left her horse without even considering tying him up. She needed to see the bodies; she had to know Henry was not one of them. Her hands began to shake and her breathing was so loud she could hear it over the commotion surrounding her, competing with her heart beat that she could suddenly hear pounding in her ears. Getting closer she could see there was four of them; a woman in her later years from what Edyn could see, a small boy little older than an infant from his size being cradled by a grieving mother, and two men lying further off, though she was still too far away to distinguish their faces. _It's not him, it's not him!_ Rudely she pushed through the people gathered, she had to know. She then felt a strong hand grab her shoulder and pull her around away from where she was headed. Towering over her was a middle aged man with long greasy hair. "No, miss. You should come away."

She pulled against him. "Let go of me."

"Trust me!" he growled.

She pulled harder, fearful of this stranger. "Edyn!" She turned to the sound of her name and spotted Victoria standing beside her mother, her complexion was much paler than Edyn thought was healthy. "Oh, Edyn!" she bawled as she ran over and threw her arms around her neck. "He's gone, Edyn! They killed him!"

"What?" If it wasn't for Victoria's grip on her she would have surely fallen. "No…"

"Yes. He was trying to protect me," Victoria sobbed.

"I have to see him," she said, her voice was oddly calm.

Victoria's grip on her tightened and the strange man beside them spoke, "No, its best you leave him."

"No," she said again more firmly pushing Victoria off her. Again, a large hand was placed on her shoulder and she roughly pushed it off. "Don't! He is the strongest, bravest man I know, I'm not going to simply believe you when you tell me he is dead. I have to see it myself!"

Victoria began howling hysterically again and at her mother was soon rushing to her side, but Edyn ignored their little moment, she was already once again moving towards where the dead lay. He wasn't going to be there, they were mistaken. People around her all had the same sympathetic look etched upon their faces and she glared back at them angrily. They were wrong! Finally squeezing through to get a clear look she saw to her horror they were right. There he was, pale and sickly looking, but his expression was content and peaceful. Edyn inhaled sharply and brought her hand to her chest, it ached terribly, unlike anything she had felt before. Forcing herself to move closer she stood beside him before she slowly sank down beside where he lay.

"I told you that you didn't need to see it yourself," the man's voice returned.

"Leave me," Edyn said softly. She waited a moment but she still felt his presence standing over her. "Please! Just go!" her voice cracked.

Finally she heard the crunching of gravel as he moved away from her. She sniffed but forced herself to hold her tears in. Gently she placed a hand on Henry chest; so eerie that it did not rise and fall. Her bottom lip began to tremble and she shook him. "Come on, Henry. Stop fooling around," she told him. "You know I hate jokes, yet you always would play them on me. I swear I'll laugh about this one, but first you've got to open your eyes." Behind her she could hear the whispering amongst the villagers watching her. "Henry? Please?" Her voice was slowly getting higher and higher with each word she spoke. "You said you would always look after me, Henry. You promised! How is this protecting me?"

Her sadness turned to rage and she moved her hands to his shoulders to shake him harder. "Get up!" It was then she felt the moisture. Lifting her hand she held back a gasp at the sight of her fingers stained with blood. She leant over him to get a better look. The soil beneath where his head lay was darkened with his blood; there was so much of it. How had she not seen it before? It was then she broke. "Oh, Henry," she wailed and slumped down across his chest burying her face into his shirt. He was cold; she could feel it through his clothes. He had always been so warm, bringing her into his large arms whenever she had gone to him and warming her with his body heat. This was wrong. She desperately wanted his arms around her now, to comfort her like he had always done whenever she was upset, but they remained still and unmoving beside him, never to hold her again.

She had no idea how long she had laid there beside him. She was vaguely aware of the other bodies being moved to be wrapped before being buried that afternoon. Some people even came over to her to offer her comfort but she ignored them all. There was only one voice she wanted to hear but she was never going to hear it again, ever. One man even went so far as to even try and lift her off him, yelling at her that he had to be moved, that there were children around and they should not be subject to seeing such things at such a young age. _Why,_ Edyn thought to herself, _life is cruel and full of sadness. They should know before they grow up believing nothing bad will ever happen to them._ She managed to fight the man off screaming and carrying on before he gave up and she resumed her position beside Henry, weeping silently.

* * *

><p>Robin slowly made his way through the town dragging Carter behind him. He watched as Will and Djaq offered a now widowed woman some food and sat with her consoling. "Robin," he heard his name being called. Turning he faced a nervous man, his brow beaded with sweat. "We have a small problem."<p>

"Go on," Robin said kindly trying to reassure the man.

"It's, err, well it's one of the men that died earlier. There's a young woman refusing to let us near the body. We need to wrap him before we bury him this afternoon," he explained.

"I'm sure there is nothing wrong with letting her say goodbye," Robin sighed.

"N-no. It's just, the body has been lying in the sun for quite some time and it won't be long before it starts to… smell. And with children around it really should be moved."

Robin sighed and ran his hand over his stubbled chin. "Of course. Much, you stay here and watch him," he jerked his head toward where he had tied Carter. "John, I might need your help with this."

The two of them slowly made their way over to where everyone was still gathered simply watching the poor woman grieve. The people of Clun really were a strange bunch. When he caught sight of the mess of red hair lying pathetically over the body of a young man he stopped and sighed. There was only one person he knew of in Nottinghamshire with that coloured hair. "Oh, no."

He squatted down beside the young man across from where she lay. "Edyn," he said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry." He got no response from her. "Edyn?" Placing a hand on her shoulder she flinched away from him. "You have to let him go, Edyn."

"I can't," she croaked and slowly she looked up at him. Her face was almost as red as her eyes, all blotchy and puffy. She sniffed pathetically. "He's all I have. And now he's gone!"

"This isn't going to bring him back," Robin told her.

"I know that," she said somewhat childishly. "But I can't let him go, I just… I can't."

"We're not going to let anything happen to you, alright? I promise you that." He brought a hand to the side of her face.

She shook her head and he removed his hand knowing best not to upset her further. "I just want him!"

Silently Robin nodded his head wishing there was something more to say to her. "You have to get up now."

"No–"

"Yes!" Robin said firmly.

"I'm not leaving him!" she said through gritted teeth.

Robin exhaled and turned to his burly companion. "John." He indicated his head to the young woman and John didn't need to be told.

"Sorry, Edyn," Little John muttered before he brought his strong arms around her waist and pulled her away.

"No! NO!" she screamed. Instantly her arms began flailing around and Robin noticed John took a few blows to the face but his grip remained tight as he dragged her away from her brother's body. People immediately moved to the body and carried him away from the town to where Robin could only guess where the other bodies were being kept. "HENRY!" Edyn's screams continued. "NO! Let me go! Henry!"

Much moved beside Robin and shook his head. "Unbelievable. Even Marian didn't react that badly over her father's death."

"That's because Marian has us, me. What does Edyn have but her master the Sheriff," Robin replied.

"Yes, but still…" Much continued.

Will and Djaq then moved passed them heading towards where Edyn was now screaming uncontrollably. Robin's eyes focussed on the young carpenter as he stared in horror at Edyn's state. "Although…" Robin muttered raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm?" Much asked. Robin ignored him and turned back to Carter who had almost been forgotten. He trusted that Djaq would have some tricks to calm Edyn, if not then maybe Will.

* * *

><p>Edyn continued to pull and struggle against Little John but it was hopeless. He was the biggest man she knew and she had no more strength than the next woman. She eventually slumped down relying fully on John to hold her upright. Her cries and screaming continued and the shrieks that erupted from within her were unlike anything she had ever heard, deep and guttural, it was almost unnatural. But then the tearing feeling in her chest could not be normal. Her screams got louder and louder as her pain peaked.<p>

"It's alright, I've got you," John was muttering in her ear. "Let it out."

"John, let her go," Edyn heard a female Saracen speak. Edyn didn't bother raising her head to know that Djaq was standing in front of her.

"What?" John asked.

"Just do it," Djaq said.

Gently John loosened his hold on her and helped her down to the ground where she sat slumped in the dirt. After a few moments she had calmed down slightly, her tears still fell and she continued to sob but her shrieks had died away, though her chest continued to rattle with every breath she took. She heard footsteps approach her and she waited for Djaq to speak some useless words of comfort, she didn't want to hear them, she just wanted to be alone. "Edyn." It was not Djaq's voice that spoke to her. It was the deep, quiet voice of Will. She felt his hand gently rest on her shoulder and strangely she flinched away from it.

"Don't!" she snapped struggling to get to her feet.

"Edyn, please…" he tried.

He tried to move closer to her again and this time she managed to get her legs to support her as she moved away from him. "Just leave me alone!" Her breathing began to labour again as she desperately tried to get away from them stumbling back towards the town. She didn't make it far before she fell back down to her knees gasping for air. Again her hands went to her chest and she tried to claw at it with her nails. It hurt so badly she just wanted to rip it open and be done it.

Djaq was suddenly crouched in front of her roughly grabbing at her wrists to restrain her. "Edyn, stop it!"

But Edyn continued to fight with her. "I can't breathe! I can't– Oh God, it hurts!"

"This isn't going to make it better!" Djaq argued.

"I can't breathe," Edyn gasped again.

"Yes, you can!" Djaq said firmly. Edyn felt her small hands restrain her face so she had nowhere to look but into the Saracen woman's eyes. "I'm going to help you through this but you have to listen to me. Understand?" Numbly, Edyn managed to nod her head.

* * *

><p>Will stood beside John as the two of them watched as Djaq somehow managed to calm Edyn. Edyn was now sat slumped in the dirt while Djaq was speaking to her softly. Will assumed she was probably telling Edyn about how she had also lost a brother. He hated just standing there, desperate to go and help in some way. He had felt so unwanted and rejected when Edyn had pushed him away, as if he was the last person she had wanted with her. When he had lost his father she was the one person who had been with him when he had needed it the most and he desperately wanted to repay that favour, but the fact she was pushing him away was making it awkward for him.<p>

"This," Little John said beside him, "I do not like."

Will was silent for a moment before he said, "I want to help her, John. How can I do that?"

When he looked up at the bigger man he was surprised to find his eyes narrowed. "I think it would be best for you to leave her be."

"What?" Will asked puzzled.

"There are things I don't think you fully understand. It may seem like a good idea now but in the long term it may have shattering results," John replied.

Will's brow furrowed as he tried to understand the situation. Little John was very observant and more often than not he had a better understanding of things, but Will had no idea what he was meaning now. Shaking his head he left him ignoring the advice he had just been given and slowly moved towards where Djaq and Edyn were sat.

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><p>Edyn remained silent as Djaq finished the tale of her own brother's death. She knew she meant well and she had always had a high standard of respect for Djaq, but hearing that was probably the worst thing Edyn wanted to hear from her, it was almost like she was saying Henry's death wasn't heroic enough, or that her grief didn't compare with Djaq's. But she remained silent, staring blankly at the soil beneath her.<p>

She looked up at the sound of footsteps and Will hesitantly moved closer. He gave her yet another sympathetic look and asked, "How are you feeling?" She didn't reply; there were no words she could answer with to explain the pain she was feeling. He lowered himself down and muttered, "I'm sorry, Edyn."

Slowly she looked up at him. "You know, I've never understood that expression. You didn't do anything, so why the need to apologise?"

It seemed it was Will's turn to remain silent, unsure of how to respond.

"Quick! Get up! He's gone!" They all turned at the sound of Much's voice as he ran over to them. "Carter's escaped!"

Beside her Djaq leapt to her feet and sent Edyn an apologetic glance. Will however hesitated. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

Edyn felt a new bout of emotions rise in her. "No…"

"I'll come back, later. I promise," he reassured her gently placing a hand on her arm.

She watched him leave as he tears began to fall again. Strangely they were no longer just over her brother, but for the sudden feeling of rejection she felt as she watched Will's tall figure chase after where the other gang members had just left. Why did she push him away? She had finally had what she wanted, him close to her and now she had blown it.

Edyn spent the remainder of the day sitting with her back leant against a tree overlooking the strange village. She let her mind wander, thinking of everything she had gone through with Henry, the changes they had had to make after they had left Yorkshire, the fun they had, not to mention the arguments.

As the day's end was getting closer the strange man from earlier came forward and sat himself beside her. Now that she was calmer she was able to study him closer. He must have been in his forties she guessed, his face was beginning to wrinkle, his long oily hair thinning. But what caught her attention were his mismatched eyes. One of them was a greyish blue colour while the other was a dark hazel. She could tell he must have been very handsome in his youth but sadly he was now passed it. He introduced himself as Sloan before he explained how he was a friend of her brothers, acquaintances at first but as he was the one to introduce Victoria to Henry the two of them had grown closer.

"You're a friend of Victoria's?" Edyn asked.

"Her father's," he corrected. Silence then fell. "With my kind of work I have very few friends so it grieves me greatly for the death of your dear brother."

"What kind of work?" Edyn asked.

Shaking his head he said, "I hope you never find out." Edyn suddenly felt uneasy around him but remained where she sat.

Just before the sun was to begin to set the graves had finally been dug and the small village gathered together. As Edyn approached Victoria once again came over to her and hugged her. This time she was gentle and less clingy. Slowly Edyn brought her own arms around the distraught woman though she was more than relived when they broke apart. Victoria asked her to join her and her family but Edyn declined wishing to stand alone.

A priest had ridden out from Kirklees to respect the dead and pray for them. Edyn listened numbly. This was all happening too fast. As she listened she heard someone approach her and she could feel their presence beside her. There was a moment of stillness where Edyn refused to turn and look at them. But when she felt a calloused hand shakily brush against her own in what she could only guess as a nervous attempt to hold hers she knew instantly who it was. She closed her eyes and moved her hand so that she was now holding his. Her eyes began to well up once more and she slowly glanced up at Will. The moment she looked into his perfect eyes she couldn't help but let out a sob pathetically. Edyn wasn't sure if it was instinct or if he had a sudden burst of confidence but he was then bringing an arm around her and pulled her closer to his body as her shoulders began to tremble. He hushed her quietly while running a hand through her hair. She was amazed to find that soothed her more than anything else. His rough yet gentle hand softly massaged her scalp while the other rested in the dip of her back. Her own arms she wrapped around his waist and she relied on him fully to support her weight. She had her face buried in his neck and she was slightly surprised when she felt him rest his own face close to hers.

"What am I going to do, Will?" she asked him.

She felt his grip tighten. "Whatever you feel is right," he responded softly. "I'll always be here for you if you need me. We all will."

Edyn let out a shaky sigh and snuggled her face closer. Gently he rocked her and they both remained that way even after everyone else gathered began to depart. He moved his head so his chin was resting on the top of her head and for a moment her heart began to pound as she thought he was going to press a kiss onto her forehead but sadly she was mistaken.

Saying goodbye to him was the hardest thing she had done. She didn't want to leave him, she didn't want to return to the castle, but where else could she go? Her back-up plan was now dead and she couldn't go to the forest like Marian had done, she didn't belong there. It only took one look from Will and she knew what to do. She wasn't going to give up; with Marian gone it was up to her to inform Robin of the happenings in the castle. It would help keep her mind off everything and give her a reason to get up each day. She was going to do it for him.

When she went to leave she stared at him awkwardly. She didn't know what to say. He was so close and so perfect she simply let her instincts take over. She stood up on her toes and left a soft kiss on his cheek, barely touching him. "Thank you," she said, "for everything."

He was silent, his eyes wide and his lips slightly parted as he stared at her with shock. His expression then made her regret what she had done. When she got no reply she muttered a quick apology before she spun around and ran from him ashamed. She could have sworn she heard him call after her but she didn't stop.

* * *

><p>"Edyn!" Will called again, but her figure ran further from him. Angrily he ran his hand through his hair and grunted with frustration. Why had he not said anything? This was probably the worst day of her life and he had gone and made it worse for her. He turned and swore loudly as he pounded his hand against a nearby fence post. She had caught him off guard, he had not been expecting her to do that, ever. He was so confused, women were such a mystery to him, he could never tell what they were feeling or thinking, but then he barely could tell how he was feeling at the moment. These new emotions were so strange to him; he didn't know what they meant or what to do about them.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>A:N I'm so sorry this took me so long to get to you. My new job is crazy, I'm awake before its light and often getting home when it's dark so it's hard to find the time to write. But I forced myself to sit down and write this, had to tell my hands I don't care how much they hurt, how badly they're bruised or in need of stitches I will finish this! So I hope it was worth the wait! **_

_**OMG, character death! Trust me when I say there is a reason behind my madness; it's all part of a plan. I hope I didn't butcher my attempt to write sorrow, I know the feeling but it's hard finding the right words to express it. So any advice would be greatly appreciated! So excited, next chapter is the beginning of the build up to my big finale! Just a rough guess, but I think they'll be another 5 or so chapters to go, depending on how I end it; it always gets changed as I write. Please, please, PLEASE review, I'm dying to hear your opinions, even if you just point out where I went wrong, I love to hear from you all!**_


	21. Chapter 21

Edyn was all but sure she was no longer living. Surely she was living in hell, desperate to escape but with nowhere to run. She had never in all her life felt the way she was feeling now, like nothing mattered. She could feel nothing but a dull ache in her chest. Some of the other kinder castle workers assured her that with time the pain would pass, but she was doubtful. The only way she could rid herself of the agony was to forget Henry, but to forget Henry would be to forget her life up until now. So she accepted the pain as a reminder of what a privilege it was to have known him. And slowly, time was passing.

The morning that followed Henry's death she simply lay in her small bed staring at the wall as she listened to the other castle maids getting themselves ready for the day. She ignored everyone that told her it was time for her to get up; she didn't think it was physically possible for her to move. Her mind was focused only on Henry. Why had she left him? Why did she feel the need to leave and become independent? All that time she was chasing to be one of Robin's gang she could have been with Henry, had some more memories of him.

"Get up!" One of the maids yelled at her pulling the covers away. Edyn didn't even flinch. She then heard other women gathering around her and between them all they heaved her to her feet and clothed her for the day.

Throughout it all she wept silently. She had truly lost all control of her life and she couldn't figure out what she possibly could have done to deserve this. If she were still religious she would have prayed for some answers, but she hadn't been since the day her mother died and now she was feeling as if she were being punished for it.

Marian still was living in the forest, and Edyn was again confined inside castle unable to seek comfort from Sybil. The only friendly face to her was Allan, but with him always trailing behind Sir Guy it was like he wasn't even there. Her tears soon passed but she still struggled to find the strength to get up each day; each day that she spent serving the Sheriff and watching his terrible plots unfold. For some reason his suspicion against Marian made him keep a much closer eye on Edyn; whenever he required something, it was Edyn that was called for.

Slowly as the weeks passed her sorrow turned to anger, her desire to rebel against the Sheriff once again bubbled inside of her. But with Marian gone and Edyn being locked inside the castle there was little she could do. So she bided her time, waiting for the ideal moment to plan her revenge. He was after all the reason behind her brother's death.

On the day of the Sir Guy's birthday the whole of Nottinghamshire was in an uproar about something called Lardner's Ring. Edyn had no interest in it what-so-ever, but when she was roughly pushed against a wall by one of the Sheriff's men who quickly grabbed at her hands to see if she wore a ring, suspicion soon began to rise. Why was the Sheriff so concerned about this ring? She then snuck around the castle in search of Allan hoping for answers but neither he nor Sir Guy was to be seen.

Later in the afternoon she heard of their return to the castle along with two prisoners and her heart sank. Whoever they were the Sheriff was now closer to figuring out what this ring was. Maybe there was something she could do to spoil his plans? She was in the kitchen mulling over several different plans when she was called up to the Sherriff's study to serve him wine. Making her way to his study she waited at the door until she was called forward. The two prisoners both knelt before the Sheriff but she reframed from looking at them and focused her attention on the wine she poured. Everyone in the room knew they would be executed after the Sheriff got all the information he needed. As she turned from the Sheriff she then caught sight of the men and gasped. There Will knelt looking pitiful beside his companion, a fool of some sort.

The room was quiet and Edyn quickly tried to regain herself after she noticed the Sheriff's questioning look at her outburst. "Begging you pardon, my lord. I… Err– The smell came as bit of a shock." The Sheriff said nothing but nodded his head in agreement and she let out a small sigh of relief as she moved to stand at the wall with the half empty wine jug to wait for the Sheriff to request a refill. How she wished to be anywhere but here. She felt her cheeks begin to flush with embarrassment. Both her and Will had not seen each other since her unwarranted behaviour. She listened intently as the fool explained to the Sheriff that Lardner was in fact a bird and his ring was used so the he could carry messages back to the Holy Land, but more importantly to the King. Allan then spoke up that he knew where they could find the bird and she wanted to scream at him. Was it really necessary that he ruin all of Robin's plans? She was both proud and fearful when Will muttered aloud his opinion of Allan and she couldn't help but flinch slightly when the Sheriff stood a gave Will a swift kick to his lower stomach to which he let out a cry and bent over double from the pain. Edyn raised her eyes and looked up at the wall behind where Sir Guy stood. It was not at all a surprise when the Sheriff ordered both Will and the fool to be hung, but hearing the words brought tears to Edyn's eyes. She blinked several times and continued to look up praying no one had noticed her reaction.

The Sheriff then left with Sir Guy and his guards, as Allan tried to leave the fool leapt at him begging for his life. Allan responded by striking him and followed Sir Guy out the door although pausing to look at Will. Edyn turned to follow but then glanced back at Will who was already staring at her. She tried to distinguish his expression but it was so muddled, his face was stern, but his eyes showed fear. What could she do? She couldn't let him be murdered. "Madam?" The jailor was waiting by the door for her to leave so that he could then remove his prisoners. She gave Will one last pitiful look before she turned to the door and left. _Robin will save him_, she told herself. _Robin would not let him die_.

* * *

><p>Late in the afternoon she heard of the Sheriff's return to the castle and strangely she was called outside to meet them. She frowned but followed the guard that had ordered her to follow him. Once outside she was stunned by what she found. The Sheriff was the first person she saw seated upon his horse handing his buzzard to his bird handler with a gleeful smile upon his face, even after he was told his prisoners had escaped and two of his guards killed, it didn't spoil his mood. But what surprised Edyn was a very dishevelled Marian was climbing down from the back of Sir Guy's horse looking more miserable than she had ever seen her before.<p>

"My lady!" she exclaimed as she rushed to her side, pulling the shawl from her shoulders to wrap around her mistress.

"See that the Lady Marian is fed and washed so she may rest," Sir Guy ordered. Edyn bowed her head and led Marian inside knowing best to leave her questions until they had privacy.

After food had been brought up Edyn then poured Marian a steaming hot bath and helped her strip down and climb in. The entire time Marian remained silent, refusing to answer any of Edyn's questions. She seated herself behind the bath so she was able to comb oils and perfumes through Marian's hair. She noticed Marian's left hand was bawled tightly into a fist and Edyn got the idea she was hiding something from her. "You're almost looking like you again," Edyn muttered softly as she got the remaining of the tangles from Marian's dark hair. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" she asked softly.

She watched as Marian slowly shook her head. "Not yet," she finally whispered.

Satisfied that Marian had finally spoken Edyn went about the rest of her jobs in silence overjoyed that she was now back with her mistress. That night she left Marian sitting by her window staring out into the darkness of Nottingham. As she was leaving she noticed Marian finally opening her clenched fist and she caught sight of a green gem of some kind. Edyn simply brushed it off, Marian would tell her about it when she was ready.

Returning to the servant's quarters she was stopped by a castle guard. "The Sheriff wants to see you," he grunted at her.

Edyn sent him a questioning look but followed him willingly. _Perhaps he wishes to talk about Lady Marian_, she wondered. Surely he couldn't expect her to continue her kitchen duties while she worked for Marian.

Inside the Sheriff's study Sir Guy could be seen leaning against the wall in the corner while the Sheriff was reading over some documents. Edyn stood in the middle of the room silently waiting for the Sheriff to look up at her. The longer he kept her waiting the faster her heart began to beat. Had she done something wrong? Finally he looked up at her, his eyes roaming up and down inspecting her fully through narrowed eyes. Her breathing then became shaky.

"My lord?" she heard Sir Guy ask, clearly bored from waiting.

"This girl," the Sheriff said pointing at her without looking at Sir Guy. "This is the Lady Marian's maid, am I right?"

"Yes, my lord," Sir Guy answered suspiciously.

"And your name?" he then asked her.

She looked at him nervously and he raised an eyebrow clearly agitated by her hesitation to answer. "M-my name is Edyn, my lord."

"Eden?" he scoffed. "As in garden?"

Edyn's lips pursed slightly at his mocking tone. "As in beauty," she replied, suddenly hating her mother's choice in naming her.

"Oh," the Sheriff taunted, "if only that were true."

Taking a deep breath, Edyn tried to calm herself. "Is there anything you need, my lord?"

Slowly he stood moving closer to her and looking her up and down. "No, leave," he said abruptly.

Both grateful and confused, Edyn hurried out of the room and back to the servants quarters, her new sanctuary it seemed.

* * *

><p>Sheriff Vasey watched as the young maid left the room, obviously reframing herself from running. "My lord," he heard Gisborne say beside him, "what was all that about?"<p>

Raising a hand he pointed at the door the girl had just disappeared through. "I always had my suspicions about Marian… But after everything today I may have been wrong. And yet I never even considered the girl. She had freedom the entire time. Marian had left us, yet Hood still deceived us."

"But my lord, the girl has now been denied access to leave the castle," Sir Guy argued. "And what proof is there that she has dealings with Hood?"

"That young man that was brought in earlier is a part of Hood's gang…?"

"Yes, but what has that got to do with–"

"He got away. Have her watched, Gisborne," the Sheriff spoke over him. "Give her back her freedom and we'll see where she goes. If I am right, she may just lead us straight to Hood's camp."

A smile slowly grew upon Gisborne's face. "I will organise it right away."

Vasey then let out a low chuckle. "Good."

* * *

><p>Walking through the darkness, Gisborne looked up from under his hood at the sign for the Trip Inn. He had many dealings here before; the owner had always been very obliging for only the cost of a penny. He hoped tonight he would be as helpful.<p>

Inside he was as always repulsed by the stench of the dirty drunk peasants that filled the small room. He quickly spotted the small squat man that owned the establishment and squeezed his way through the crowd towards him. Quiet as always about his business he clapped the man on his shoulder and jerked his head towards one of the back rooms so that they may talk.

"Since when do you _ask_ to take your business out in one of my private rooms?" Joe asked.

"Well, tonight you are part of my business so I would appreciate it if you lead the way," Gisborne sneered.

The barman scoffed. "Why would you need my help?" Tiring already from pleasantries Gisborne took out his dagger and swung his arm around the man's shoulders so the blade was just touching the skin under his jawline. "Whoa, whoa! Alright," Joe said leaning away from the weapon. "You want to talk business, let's talk."

Gisborne released his hold on the barkeep and followed him into a back room. Before he closed the door he quickly scanned the room checking they were not being watched by anyone. "Right, now what is this all about?" Joe asked.

"As I understand it you had a misunderstanding with a young woman named Edyn a little while back," Gisborne drawled.

"Oh, aye," Joe replied. "Little wench stabbed me in the arm when I demanded payment for her protection and–"

Gisborne held up his hand to silence the man. The man's story would be a bore and he didn't want to hear it. "So am I to understand that you would be seeking revenge against this girl?"

Joe scoffed. "What are you implying?" he asked narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Well, as the owner of this… establishment," Sir Guy said lamely eyeing the dirty interior of the building, "you would surely have eyes and ears throughout all of Nottinghamshire."

"Your point being?" Joe asked irritably.

"My point is I need this girl watched. And you can organise that. There is only so much my men will be able to see without suspicion falling," Gisborne explained.

"And what will I get in return?"

Gisborne smirked. "If your information proves useful then the Sheriff may get his reasoning for having the girl executed. A public execution which I can assure you, you will have the best viewing point."

By now the barkeeps eyes were glistening with excitement. "I'll begin asking around straight away."

"Good," Gisborne grinned while tossing a silver coin at the large man. "If the information is good you may expect gold later."

* * *

><p><strong>A:N Hi everyone! I owe you all a huge apology! I've left it so long. With my previous job I was working an average of 12hrs a day and whenever I got a day off motivation was just not there. I did start writing again at the end of last year but when two friends where involved in a serious car accident I got a major wakeup call about everything. I guess you can say when it came to hospitals and death I was very naïve and for a while I seriously didn't think I would write again. But I did! Yay! And hopefully I should have the next chapter up within a week, it's written just needs some serious editing, I'm very out of practise. **

**Please, please review! It's been a while so I might need a few wake-up calls from where I've gone wrong. **


	22. Chapter 22

Over the next few days Marian slowly became herself again, she even opened up a little to Edyn and told her most of what she had been through, though some details she was clearly holding back; the green gem wasn't mentioned at all. Occasionally Edyn caught her fiddling with it whenever she thought she had left the room.

But the cheer didn't last long, as it never did in Nottingham. Edyn had once again been granted access to the town to see to Marian's needs, but one particular morning she soon became suspicious of why she had been given it. She was happily strolling down the street when she noticed her former master Joe staring at her. She had not seen him since that terrible incident a year ago and her heart began to pound from fear of what he might say or do to her. But he didn't do anything but smile, not a friendly smile, a wicked one used to frighten young children. Edyn sure felt like a child, immobilised by fear just watching this horrid man. His eyes flickered behind her and his smile grew wider. He let out a low chuckle before he turned and stepped back inside his tavern. Hastily Edyn looked over her shoulder in search of what had made him so cheerful, but all she could see were two castle guards patrolling the streets. Shaking her head she forced herself to continue on her business.

But as the day progressed she noticed those two guards always close by and soon she became suspicious. Telling herself she was being foolish she made a few quick turns into some more crowded streets while pulling her hood up over her head. She found a small side street where she hid herself, constantly looking out towards where she had come to see if she was followed. Thankfully the guards did not reappear, but a balding man passed by and slowed his pace as he walked, looking down the street at where she stood. It was then she became frightened; she was being watched, she knew it. And not just by the Sheriff's men either.

Returning to the castle she was desperately trying to think of what to do. Normally she would have told Marian but lately her head was in the clouds, too preoccupied with her secrets to care what was going on around her. She thought briefly of telling Will but there wasn't much he could really do for her, besides the fact she was still mortified by her behaviour after Henry's death. When the answer came to her she felt like slapping herself for not thinking of it first; Robin! He had told her many times if she ever needed help, ask him. And she definitely felt she needed help. She decided then that she would try and sneak to their camp the following day if she could get away from her duties.

But residing in Nottingham typically put a stop to her plans. She was woken to the sound of panic the next morning when it was discovered that the Sheriff had disappeared sometime during the night. Worst of all, one of Prince John's men had arrived at the castle that day to receive the Sheriff's seal and if he didn't have it by nightfall then Prince John's men would burn Nottingham down.

The entire castle staff, including Edyn, had been ordered to check the castle from top to bottom to find him. She didn't see Marian until mid-morning when she was quickly told that Robin was on his way there to make a deal with Sir Guy. Marian it seemed was finally herself again, excited by the idea of seeing her lover again. Edyn watched Robin and his men arrive from outside the Great Hall where she waited for Marian. Robin winked at her as he passed, striding confidently into the castle and leaving his men outside in the rain. She was desperate to call him aside but she felt the presence of a castle guard breathing down her neck which she was slowly coming accustomed to.

The bargaining between Sir Guy and Robin didn't take long as soon Robin was outside calling his men into the town. Sadly Edyn watched them leave. "Edyn?" She turned to find Marian approach her. "I think I'm going to be busy trying to organise Sir Guy until the Sheriff's found, you may as well head to the town and see if Robin needs any help."

"Yes, my lady," Edyn said grateful she may get her chance to talk with him.

After ducking into many streets and making a few quick turns she was certain she had lost the guards that had followed her from the courtyard leaving her free to approach where Robin and his men stood gathered.

"Robin?" she asked as she got closer pulling her hood higher.

"Hello, Edyn," he said briskly barely looking at her before he turned back to his men.

She waited silently beside him as he organised his men. Finally when he was about to split away from them she interrupted. "Robin, please, may I have a word?"

"I'm sorry, Edyn, I'm very busy at the moment," he replied trying to move past her.

But Edyn wasn't going to have any of that. Her arm shot out and she grabbed his elbow and pulled him back to face her. "Please!" she said firmly. "This is important."

Robin frowned but led her away from his men. "What is it?"

She swallowed and looked down at her feet nervously. "Robin, I– I'm being followed. At first I wasn't so sure but now I'm all but positive. Everywhere I go there is always a castle guard behind me. I think the Sheriff suspects I have something to do with you."

Robin stared at her narrowing his eyes. "W-what?"

"I know it sounds silly, but I think Joe may have something to do with this."

"Edyn," he said firmly making her feel like a disobedient child. "I don't have time for this!" he snapped at her making her jump. She had not expected that reaction.

"I know your very busy, but I'm scared, Robin. And you always told me to come to you if I needed help," she replied.

"Yes, well that may be the case, but all of Nottingham needs me at the moment. By tonight your problem may not seem that important," he said bluntly as he turned away.

She stood rooted to the spot for a few moments. He was right; there were much bigger problems to worry about. She made to leave when she spotted Will watching her. Humiliated, she didn't wait to see if he was going to approach her or not, she turned away and left heading back towards the castle. Passing the Trip Inn she noticed Joe standing at the doorway watching her again.

She kept her head down and refused to make eye contact as she passed. She thought he was going to ignore her as he did before but she wasn't so lucky. "Aren't we in a bit of a hurry," he called after her. She stopped, frozen with fear. "I suppose you think you'll be able to find the Sheriff, you and your outlaw friends." She turned to face him, her eyes wide. _How did he know?_ "You think I don't know?" he asked as he began to walk towards her. "You think people don't talk about what they see around them?" He chuckled at her wide eyed expression. "Yes, I've heard all about your little trips into the forest. I wonder how long it will be before the Sheriff hears about it."

"No…" she whispered.

He shook his head. "You made a very big mistake making an enemy with me, girl."

She didn't want to hear anymore. Exhaling sharply she moved away from him and tore down the street, her body trembling with fear. Why was this happening? Where could she go? What could she do about it? No matter how many questions she asked herself she couldn't come up with an answer. She thought of leaving. There was nothing for her here anymore. No family, hardly a friend. She had ruined things with Will, Marian was completely changed since her time in the forest and Sybil had her own family now. The more she thought the more she knew it was what she needed to do. She could steal a horse, say she was on an errand and hopefully be far enough away from Nottingham before anyone would realise. But where to go? What to do? Shaking her head she began towards the castle deciding to choose any road and see where it would lead her and as for money she would have no choice but to sell the horse which would get her accommodation for a while but she would need to find work quickly.

She hurried into the castle and into the deserted servant's quarters to pack her few possessions. She stuffed her spare dress, an old blanket, some bread from the kitchen, a skin full of water and tied her mother's pendant around her neck. Thankfully everyone in the castle was in too much of a panic to notice her. Outside she spotted her guards again and ducked around the town before doubling back to the stables to get her horse. "Well, Duke," she whispered to him. "Say goodbye."

Leading him through the town she kept her head low and her hood up. She stopped when she got to the towns gates. People from the outer towns were dragging their families towards the safely of the Nottingham's tall walls. In the distance she could see the uprising of dust; Prince John's army was fast approaching. Was she being cowardly leaving now? With this new threat not only to her but everyone else she cared for.

At the sound of footsteps she looked over her shoulder to see Will approaching. She felt her cheeks flush and looked down at her feet, the silence dragging on. Finally it became too much and she spoke. "It's not looking good, is it?" she asked.

His expression answered her question. "We'll get through this," he tried to convince. "Robin will find him and have him back in time."

She smiled, though not completely persuaded. "I hope so."

"I'd leave whatever it was you were going to do and stay here. I think the town is now the safest place in Nottingham, I doubt Prince John will spare the villages." Edyn nodded her head and looked away feeling guilty. She could see him out of the corner of her eye looking at Duke, his eyes resting on her bag tied to the back of her saddle. "Where were you going?" he asked suspiciously. She continued to look away. "Edyn!"

"I haven't yet decided," she almost whispered.

"You're thinking of leaving?"

Edyn shrugged her shoulders when she heard another set footsteps approach she turned to find Allan standing nearby. He jerked his head towards the castle, asking her to leave. She did so gladly, hoping the two of them would say their peace and be done with it.

Back at the castle Marian found her and pulled her to one side. "This is bad," she said to her bluntly. "I want you to go into the town and begin to gather the people."

"Gather the people? I don't understand," Edyn admitted.

"We may have to defend the town. If it comes to that then everyone will need to gather inside the castle. I want you to go and help the elderly and those with small children. I will talk to Sir Guy about organising weapons and men."

Edyn could only stare at Marian. Earlier the situation had seemed bad, but now it seemed catastrophic. "Let's hope for the best," Marian said to her before she left.

The rest of the afternoon was spent ushering people inside the castle's Great Hall. Outside in the courtyard Sir Guy, Allan and Marian were hurriedly organising and distributing weapons amongst the men. When Edyn stepped outside she could hear women crying and pleading for their husbands and their sons not to be armed; the thought of them fighting was unbearable for them. Sybil, she noticed, was one of them.

She had Grace clutched to her chest begging Allan that she needed her husband; that he had no right to ask him to fight for them. Marcus, gentlemanly as always, was calmly trying to reason with his wife, assuring her that he was proud and honoured to do it. Cowardly, Edyn turned back towards the Great Hall not wanting to be caught up in the mess.

"Edyn!" Too late. Sybil frantically ran to her, sobbing and hiccupping, turning her pleas to Edyn. "Edyn, please, you've got to help me. Tell them they can't take Marcus away from me!"

"Sybil, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. With most of the Sheriff's men out searching for him we need as many men as possible to defend the town. Marcus included," Edyn said softly.

"But you can't!" Sybil wept. "He's all Grace and I have!"

Edyn shook her head in disbelief. Sybil's entire family resided in Nottinghamshire. She would never be without help, no matter what happened. "Sybil, I understand it's hard but–"

"No you don't!" Sybil spat at her. "You don't know what it feels like to love someone, so you don't know how it feels when someone takes that person away from you!"

Edyn's eyes narrowed. "You need to calm down."

"NO!" she shouted. "The only reason you are standing here so calmly and easily telling people they have to leave their family and fight is because you have no one! They're dead! All I'm doing is trying to protect my family so I don't end up like you!"

Edyn saw red. She was surprised by the sudden desire to strike Sybil, to hurt her. But she didn't, instead she took a deep breath and walked away. Strangely though, she felt no need to cry; she was oddly calm.

She headed back towards the Great Hall; maybe someone in there wanted her help. Just as she was approaching the door a hand shot out from beside her and pulled her into the shadows of the side corridor. "Will!" she hissed when she caught sight of the tall carpenter.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. "I heard…"

Edyn sighed. Did nothing go unnoticed in Nottingham? "Yes I'm fine," she muttered. She walked a few paces away and waited for him to speak but he didn't. "Actually… No, I'm not fine," she said while shaking her head. "Nothing in my life is fine. Henry is dead, as is my mother. My father could be anywhere for all I know, not that he cares that I'm alone, I'm stuck in this horrid place that will never feel like home, I have nowhere or no one to go to and quite recently I ruined whatever it was the two of us had. Please tell me what do I have to make everything fine?"

Will stood motionless letting her rant. "You have us," he said. "And Marian."

Edyn brought her hand to her face and turned away with frustration. "That's not enough." Will stared at her puzzled and she continued. "Will, I…" She knew she had to tell him, but getting the words out was one of the most difficult things she had ever done. "I– I'm…" She looked down at her feet and took a deep breath. "I'm in love you, Will. I think I have been for a while." He stared at her confused, his mouth opening slightly but no words came out. "I know it's not right for a woman to say that, and I know you don't feel the same." When she looked back at him he was frowning and shaking his head. She watched as he turned away from her. "I'm sorry!" she called.

He turned back around to face her and finally spoke. "I don't know what to say. I– I'm so confused." He brought his hands up to his head and ran them through his hair. "When I was growing up I thought if I ever got married it would have been to you." Edyn's heart began race. "But, then I got involved with Robin and became an outlaw, my focus was purely on the people and following his orders. And then I met Djaq." Edyn remained silent while he began to pace in frustration, her sudden excitement left with the mention of Djaq's name. "I have all these feelings and I don't understand what any of them mean."

Edyn didn't know what to say to him and it seemed he had said everything he needed to so the two of them lapsed into silence with an uncomfortably large space between them. "I should go and…" Will finally spoke and headed towards the courtyard. He paused as he passed Edyn as if he were going to say something but he stopped himself and kept walking. Edyn remained there for a while after he left mulling over everything that had been said. Shaking her head she finally decided it didn't matter and went to find Marian.

* * *

><p>As the day got closer to dusk Edyn and Marian began moving the townsfolk inside the Great Hall. She caught sight of Will a few times but each time she ignored him, pretending she hadn't seen him too preoccupied with her task. She helped the other castle servants to light the torches inside the Great Hall and Sir Guy sent Allen out to send word back to them when Prince John's men began their march towards the town. The Great Hall itself was havoc. Soldiers racing round organising weapons, children screaming with confusion and fear, women sobbing as their husbands and sons were kitted out with swords and for some of the fortunate ones shields. Edyn was forced to struggle through the crowds.<p>

A shout then could be heard from outside. "THEY'RE HERE!" For a split second the room was silent, and then suddenly it was louder than before; everyone reaching for their loved ones in a desperate final farewell. The sight of them all but broke Edyn's heart. Looking around she spotted Will a few paces from her. At a guess they were the only two people motionless.

Stepping forward she slowly made her way to him; the fear was making her bold. "This is it then," she said. "He didn't make it." Will remained silent. "I guess it was a good thing we were finally truthful to each other."

"Edyn, listen to me," Will spoke. "Whatever happens, whatever you see happening, you stay by Marian's side. Nothing will happen to her as long as I'm here. I promised Robin I would protect her." Edyn smiled at the thought of Robin ensuring the woman he loved would be safe. "And…" Will's voice trailed off.

"What?" Edyn asked his softly.

"And I promise you, I will not let anything happen to you." Edyn's lips began to part with awe. "I will not let you die," he vowed.

"But I don't want you to die," she whispered.

His face softened and gently pulled her into a hug. She gladly brought her arms up to wrap around his firm torso and dug her face into the front of his shirt desperate to get one last inhale of his scent. She felt his arms tighten and he leant his head against the top of hers and she felt his chest rise as he smelt her hair. Butterflies filled her stomach and she didn't know if it was from the fear of what was going to happen or what she was about to do. As they pulled away she moved a shaky hand and rested it on the side of his face, stroking her thumb along the surprisingly soft stubble there. She watched as he closed his eyes and turned his head slightly towards her hand. It's now or never, she told herself. Stepping up on tip toes she very carefully placed a kiss on his lips. At first she felt him tense and she nearly broke away but then she felt him relax, she was almost sure she felt his tilt his head closer. When they broke apart his eyes were wide with shock.

"I'm sorry, I just had to know what it would be like," she whispered.

His expression looked so pained. Edyn suspected it was from his confusion between her and Djaq. Out the corner of her eye she could see his hand moving towards her face, he held it there for a moment debating what to do before he let it drop to her shoulder.

Allan then burst inside yelling, "They're coming!" With a loud _clunk _the heavy doors were shut as the men assembled together. Will looked at her once more and this time placed him hand on the side of her cheek. "Stay with Marian! Please?" And then he left, running up the steps and pulling out his hatchet to be ready.

Edyn took her spot beside Marian. The rest of the women all huddled as far from the door as possible but both Marian and Edyn stood below the steps and looked up at the brave men on top waiting for what was going to happen next. Edyn felt Marian take her hand and squeeze it. Looking at her Marian whispered, "Be brave." Edyn nodded her head and stared back at the men catching a glimpse of Will looking over his shoulder at her.

"GISBORNE!" a voice echoed around the courtyard outside. Atop the stairs the men all tensed. But then Sir Guy ran forward and pulled the doors open and left. The voice called his name again sounding much louder and clearer with the doors open.

"That's the Sheriff!" Marian gasped. "He's back, Robin made it."

Edyn grinned widely as Marian made her way through the gathered men to look outside. "Hood did it!" One of the men closest to the door yelled. Laughter and cheers erupted though the Great Hall but Edyn only had eyes for one person. When he spotted her he smiled wider than Edyn had ever seen showing all his teeth and reaching the whole way to his eyes. She couldn't help but laugh out loud with happiness. Surely that meant something. She desperately wanted to go and speak to him but with the Sheriff back he no longer had a pardon to be inside the town. Disappearing into the crowd she watched him leave, but her smile didn't leave her face. At last it seemed she had a reason to be happy again.

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><p><strong>A:N** I'm sorry! I know I said it would have been up less than a week since the last one but I got really caught up in work – haven't had a day off in nearly 3 weeks! So I've spent my day very productively eating ice cream and writing. I hope you like it. Surely the fact that I finally had their first kiss makes up for the fact it's a little late, yes?

Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter, you have no idea how much I missed that lovely feeling when you read a positive review. Please, please review! Feel free to let me know if something doesn't sound right, or if I butchered the characters. I tried so hard to get Will spot on, but I think I still didn't quite get his character right.


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